Fabio Quartararo ‘looking for myself’ with 2027 MotoGP contract options

Yamaha MotoGP rider Fabio Quartararo says his goals have now shifted as he looks towards his future, noting that he wants to “look for myself”.

The 2021 world champion is one of the major pieces of the 2027 rider market, as his lucrative factory contract with Yamaha expires at the end of this year.

Fabio Quartararo was convinced to stay with Yamaha for the 2025/2026 contract period with a deal worth a reported €12 million per year, having turned down an offer to join Aprilia.

In that time, Quartararo has scored just one grand prix podium as Yamaha slumped to last in the manufacturers’ table.

Yamaha’s goals no longer Quartararo’s concern

In a new documentary from motogp.com, Quartararo says his ambitions for his current deal were to “bring some really good results back to Yamaha”.

However, this is not something he is considering now as he looks to where his future may lie in 2027.

“The only thing that can convince me is for me to jump on the bike and feel that I’m fast and that I’m enjoying it,” he said of the possibility of remaining with Yamaha beyond 2026.

“When I signed for this year and next year, my goal was to bring some really good results back to Yamaha.

“But, right now, I want to look for myself, for my personal future and goals.”

Yamaha will race with a V4 engine for the first time this year, as it looks to engineer its way back up the order.

Quartararo’s feedback of the new bike has been lukewarm at best since he first rode it last autumn, with his desires for an immediately competitive bike at odds with Yamaha’s step-by-step approach to development.

The upcoming pre-season tests at Sepang and Buriram appear to be Yamaha’s final chance to convince Quartararo to commit his future to the brand.

However, it noted during its livery launch event earlier this week that no discussions about a 2027 deal had taken place with him yet.

Quartararo has been linked to moves to Honda, Aprilia and Ducati for next year, with all three brands offering competitive alternatives to Yamaha.