Fabio makes his move? Quartararo reportedly signs for MotoGP 2027
Fabio Quartararo is reportedly moving to a new manufacturer for MotoGP 2027.
Fabio Quartararo is reported to have made the first move among the major players in the 2027 MotoGP rider market.
According to Motorsport.com, the former world champion will leave Yamaha, the manufacturer he has raced with since his 2019 premier-class debut, after signing for Japanese rival Honda.
Quartararo, the standout Yamaha rider since his 2021 title-winning campaign, has increasingly warned he can’t wait any longer for competitive machinery.
While continuing to show his talent with five pole positions last year, the Frenchman remains winless for the last two-and-a-half seasons.
That would have changed had he not been robbed of victory in last year’s British MotoGP by a ride-height problem while leading.
But, Silverstone aside, Quartararo made just one podium appearance in a Grand Prix, plus two Sprints, on his way to ninth in the world championship.
Meanwhile, the next best Yamaha rider was Jack Miller, in 17th.
Yamaha has made major changes to try and revive its MotoGP project, poaching the likes of technical director Max Bartolini from Ducati, signing Pramac to be its satellite team and then committing to a new V4 engine.
But if Quartararo has indeed signed for HRC, he will have made up his mind even before riding the latest version of the V4, which is making its debut at this week’s Sepang Shakedown.
Although countryman Johann Zarco won for Honda in the wet at Le Mans last season, Honda is without a dry MotoGP victory since Alex Rins in early 2023.
The RC213V project - now headed by former Aprilia technical director Romano Albesiano - has, however, made greater recent progress than Yamaha.
Last year’s victory plus three dry podiums (one for Zarco, then two for Joan Mir) helped Honda move up a concession ranking, from D to C, for 2026.
However, with the new 850cc rules and Pirelli tyres coming for 2027, Quartararo’s decision will be based on the future.
If confirmed, the Quartararo deal would mean Honda has three of its four seats already filled for the new era, with Zarco signed until next year at LCR, and rookie team-mate Diogo Moreira starting a new multi-year contract.
It would thus leave at least one of the current factory HRC line-up, Joan Mir and Luca Marini, out of a ride.
A Quartararo-Honda pact reduces the potential options for Jorge Martin, linked to Honda during his Aprilia contract wrangle last year, and KTM’s Pedro Acosta, who was also seen as a star target.
Meanwhile, a factory place would be free at Yamaha, which currently has only Pramac’s Toprak Razgatlioglu confirmed for next season.
“I think the futures of the two-three most sought-after names will be known before the first race,” reigning champion Marc Marquez said recently.
Marquez is close to agreeing on another two-year deal with Ducati.
If Quartararo has also decided on his future, then the spotlight will now fall on the likes of Acosta to make a move sooner rather than later.
Assuming Marc Marquez and Fabio Quartararo have now decided where they want to be for 2027, who do you think will be next to sign? Leave your comments below...
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Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.