Fabio Quartararo is rumoured to be leaving Yamaha
Fabio Quartararo is set to leave Yamaha for the 2027 MotoGP season, according to reports.
2021 MotoGP world champion Fabio Quartararo is rumoured to be changing manufacturers for the 2027 season, and it’s not good news for Yamaha on multiple fronts, if the reports are true.
According to Motorsport.com, Quartararo is set to join Yamaha’s rivals Honda after signing a two-year deal with HRC.
Quartararo is the last rider to win a MotoGP title for Yamaha, and he’s continued to be the Japanese company’s top performer despite a difficult few years for the brand since 2021.
Losing Quartararo would be bad enough as he’s the only rider on the grid that has won a MotoGP race for Yamaha, but to lose the Frenchman to none other than Honda would be a massive blow to the Iwata-based company.
Since joining Yamaha in 2019, Quartararo has so far claimed 11 victories, 32 podiums and 21 pole positions.
If Quartararo has indeed joined Honda for 2027, then he will also be leaving behind Yamaha’s new V4 project which is only just getting started. After racing the new engine during a few rounds towards the end of 2025, Yamaha then decided it was going to use the V4 throughout 2026, as it replaces the crossplane inline-four that had previously brought it so much success.
But despite Yamaha’s best efforts to change its philosophy, Quartararo looks to have already made his decision as MotoGP gets set for a new era of racing.
In 2027 engines will be reduced from 1,000cc to 850cc, while 100 per cent sustainable fuel will be used by every team on the grid. Aerodynamics will be stripped back, while a ban on ride-height devices will also be implemented.
With reigning world champion Marc Marquez thought to be close to a contract renewal with Ducati, and Quartararo seemingly heading to Honda, the next big domino that could fall is KTM’s Pedro Acosta. Joining Ducati has been touted as an option, as has Honda, but if Quartararo has joined the Japanese giants that would make Acosta-to-Honda unlikely.
Photo credit - Gold and Goose
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.