Fabio Quartararo’s first words on Yamaha MotoGP departure

Fabio Quartararo says Yamaha is “part of my story” as he reacts to the official confirmation that he will be leaving the team at the end of the 2026 MotoGP season.

Yamaha announced on Tuesday morning that it will be parting ways with Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins at the end of the current season.

This follows months of reports that Quartararo has signed a deal to join Honda from the 2027 season, while Rins is set to drop off the grid entirely.

Quartararo joined Yamaha in 2019 with Petronas SRT for his rookie campaign, before stepping into Valentino Rossi’s seat at the factory squad in 2021.

He won the world title that year, with Quartararo scoring 11 wins with 32 podiums for the Japanese brand over the last eight seasons.

But good results have been harder to come by in recent years, with tension building between Quartararo and Yamaha.

“Together we shared unforgettable moments”

Despite his frustrations, Quartararo posted a heartfelt message about his time at Yamaha on his social media channels.

“After eight seasons, the time has come for me to close an important chapter of my career,” he said.

“I want to sincerely thank Yamaha for giving me my chance at the highest level, for believing in me, and for supporting me throughout all these years.

“Together, we shared unforgettable moments: a world championship title, eleven victories, podiums, pole positions, and above all, an incredible human and sporting journey that I will carry with me forever.

“Yamaha is not just a team to me - it is a part of my story, my growth as a rider and as a person.

“Today, I feel it is the right moment to take on a new challenge, to start fresh, and to push myself toward new horizons.

“Thank you for everything. Forever grateful.”

Quartararo is due to be replaced by Jorge Martin at Yamaha next year, with Ai Ogura taking Rins’ place.

The Frenchman will move to the factory Honda team, with it thought he will be partnered by David Alonso.

An official announcement on these moves is expected in due course, after the deadlock between the manufacturers and the championship was broken with a new five-year deal earlier this month.