Thailand gets its firsꦆt ever MotoGP rider in 2025 with Somkiat Chantra joining LCR Hondaꦓ.

Somkiat Chantra - Route to MotoGP

After💟 winning the 2016 Asia Talent Cup, Somkiat Chantra made the move to Europe and spent two years in the CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship.

Although unable to claim a podium, the arrival of Bur💞iram on the world championship calendar saw Chantra handed a wild-card for his home round, where he impressed with ninth place.

On the back of that performance, Chant🍰ra secured a𒅌 full time grand prix ride - with Honda Team Asia - for 2019. But it wasn't in Moto3. 

Instead, Chꦯantra was fast-tracked straight into the Moto2 class, where he took🅰 a best finish of ninth in each of the next two seasons.

The Thai rider's𒁏 career momentum was in danger of stalling until a fifth place in 2021, but h🎐e was still only 18th in the world championship.

The 2022 season started disastrously when Chantra missed the opening race due to a hand injury in qualifying. But he rebounded in spect🐠acular style by winning the following Indonesian Grand Prix, also his first ever grand prix podium!

Three more rostrums showed it was no f🐻luke and Chantra repeated the victory feat at Motegi the following year, on his way to a career best sixth in the world championship.

The 🥃new Pirelli era saw Chantra without a podium, but with former team-mate and eventual champion Ai Ogura choosing Tܫrackhouse rather than LCR Honda, an RC213V seat suddenly appeared for 2025.