LCR Honda

Lucio Cecchinello Racing, known as LCR Team, was established by Italian rider Lucio Cecchinello in 1996. Initially competing in the 125cc World Championship with Honda motorcycles, the team quickly evolved into a multi-class powerhouse before entering the MotoGP class in 2006; its 250cc involvement ended after 2005. Currently operating under the names Castrol Honda LCR and Idemitsu Honda LCR, the squad fields riders Johann Zarco and Takaaki Nakagami. The team has a rich history of developing talent, from early wins by Noboru Ueda and Lucio Cecchinello himself to historic premier-class victories by Cal Crutchlow.

Quick Facts

Short name

LCR Team

Last season

2026

Base

Monte Carlo, Monaco

Principal

Lucio Cecchinello

Riders

5. Johann Zarco
11. Diogo Moreira
35. Cal Crutchlow (replacement rider)

Motorcycle

Honda RC213V

Tyres

Michelin

Lore & Background

The team's origins trace back to 1996 when founder Lucio Cecchinello set up his own operation for the 125cc World Championship. The name LCR is an initialism for Lucio Cecchinello Racing. Early success arrived in 1998 when Noboru Ueda secured the team's first Grand Prix victory at the Japanese Grand Prix (Suzuka), followed by Cecchinello's first win at the Madrid Grand Prix later that year. The partnership continued through 2000 with further wins and podiums before a switch to Aprilia motorcycles in 2001. Under Aprilia, Cecchinello achieved his first win with the brand at the Catalan Grand Prix. By 2002, LCR expanded into the 250cc class with riders like Casey Stoner and David Checa. In 2003, the 125cc class saw three race wins, but LCR had zero wins in the 250cc class that year, though it marked the end of Cecchinello's riding career as he transitioned to full-time management.

Reader's Guide

LCR Honda's structure has shifted significantly over the years. In 2015, they expanded to two bikes: Cal Crutchlow on a factory-specification Honda RC213V and Jack Miller on an open-specification RC213V-RS. This era saw sponsor changes mid-season when CWM FX pulled out after police raids in March 2015, with Castrol introducing a new livery for Crutchlow at Sepang. By 2018, the team re-expanded to two bikes with Takaaki Nakagami partnering Crutchlow, running separate liveries with Idemitsu and Castrol as main sponsors respectively. The current lineup features Johann Zarco on a Castrol Honda LCR bike and Diogo Moreira on a Pro Honda LCR machine. Notable achievements include Stefan Bradl winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2012 after finishing eighth, and taking his first MotoGP podium at Laguna Seca in 2013 before a crash in Malaysia limited his final standing.

Did You Know?

Cal Crutchlow's 2016 victory at Brno was the first race win by a British rider in the 500cc/MotoGP class since Barry Sheene in 1981.
Roberto Locatelli recorded the team's first pole position in the 250cc class in 2004, not Casey Stoner in 2002.
Randy de Puniet's third-place finish at the 2009 British Grand Prix was his third podium for LCR, not the team's third overall; the team's third premier-class podium was achieved by Cal Crutchlow at the 2013 Dutch TT.