Diogo Moreira responds to claims his MotoGP seat was due to his Brazilian passport
Photo by Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images Diogo Moreira has responded to claims that his move to MotoGP was down to his Brazilian passport, rather than his performances on the track. Brazil had been absent from MotoGP since Alex Barros stepped away in 2007. Moreira changed that in 2026 when he moved up after a strong run through the lower classes.
He started in Moto3 back in 2022, then made the switch to Moto2 two years later. By 2025, he had taken home the Moto2 title. Even before leading the championship, there were plenty of whispers linking him with a Pramac Yamaha or LCR Honda seat.
When he eventually joined LCR, some questioned whether it was more about marketing than merit. Diogo Moreira pushes back on claims he’s in MotoGP only due to his Brazilian heritage Photo by Gold & Goose Photography/Getty Images In a conversation with Sport. es about being the first Brazilian in MotoGP since Alex Barros, Moreira was asked if he believed his nationality had played a role in his rise to the premier class.
Moreira didn’t shy away from admitting that having the right nationality can sometimes open doors, but he stood firm on the belief that his own results and performances earned him the spot with LCR Honda. Moreira explained, “At first it did bother me, because I was doing well and I think people were following me for that, not for the flag. Then I focused on winning the title and forgot all about it.
I didn’t look at Instagram, or comments, or anything. ” “It’s true that in this championship the flag helps a lot,” he continued. “But in my case I think I’m in MotoGP on my own merits.