Image: Supplied.

As Alex Rins is still sidelined with injury, HRC test rider and Suzuka 8 Hours winner Takumi Takahashi will stand in at the LCR Honda Castrol team this weekend at Misano for the 12th round of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship.

Iker Lecuona had previously been Rins’ replacement at the team following the number 42’s leg injury sustained at the Italian GP in June, but the Spaniard is racing in the Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) with Team HRC at Magny-Cours this weekend.

Instead, Suzuka 8 Hours winner Takahashi will compete alongside countryman Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemistu) in San Marino, with the Japanese rider’s last start in the premier class coming at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2015.

“Suzuka 8 Hours winner and HRC rider Takumi Takahashi will participate this weekend at the Grand Prix of San Marino, replacing LCR Honda Castrol rider Alex Rins, who is still recovering from his injury,” a statement from the LCR Honda Castrol team read.

Takahashi has experience in the 125cc and 250cc world championship classes, and he raced onboard a Honda in the 2020 WorldSBK Championship, in addition to appearances in the category in 2019 and 2020. Also, he competed onboard Fireblade machinery in the 2022 British Superbike Championship and has won the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours endurance event on multiple occasions with the Japanese manufacturer.