World champion Fabio Quartararo leaves Yamaha, expected to join Japanese rivals Honda HRC
Photo: Monster Media House
Updated: 11:52, 30 Jun
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Andrew McLarneyMotoGP Reporter
Andrew McLarney is a MotoGP reporter for GPBlog. With four years experience as a professional writer across the sports and video game industries, his experience as a K1 Premier League competitor evolved into a fascination with all forms of combat sport and eventually motorsport — with MotoGP becoming his primary focus. On top of that he is also an avid follower of MXGP and AMA Supercross as well as F1 and GT racing.
2021 MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo has officially confirmed that he will leave Yamaha at the end of 2026. The 27-year-old Frenchman burst onto the scene in 2019 and immediately began challenging for race wins and titles, bringing one home to Yamaha in just his third season.
Over the course of his Yamaha years, Quartararo has accumulated 11 race wins, 32 podiums and 21 pole positions, making him one of the strongest riders of the current generation. The rumours had been circulating since January that he may depart the team for none other than their Japanese arch-rivals Honda HRC.
Sadly, the relationship has deteriorated over the years in correlation with Yamaha’s drop in performances. Recent years have been characterized by images of Quartararo frustrated, punching out at the air or swearing at his bike - his heartbreaking 2025 retirement at Silverstone perhaps being the most memorable of all.
Yamaha’s struggles have hardly been limited to Quartararo either. His teammate, Alex Rins, along with satellite riders Jack Miller and Toprak Razgatlioglu, have regularly found themselves at the back-end of the field this year. Nonetheless, Quartararo has continued to be outstanding and often managed to salvage points or qualify higher than seemed possible.
While the move might not seem like a massive upgrade on paper, the new 850cc regulations set to take effect from 2027 onwards will seemingly flip the table over and allow any one of the five factory manufacturers to become the benchmark of a new era. Many are predicting that Honda will make huge steps forward under the new regulations, as they typically have done in the past.
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Rider Market chaos in 2026
The 2026 'silly season' has already been one of the craziest in recent memory as the majority of riders were out of a long term contract at the start of the year. Rumours had been circulating for months about potential moves in the jigsaw puzzle that will eventually give a very different complexion to the grid in 2027.
Following the finalization of a recent 'concorde agreement' with MotoGP management, the flood gates have now opened for a wave of transfer announcements. First, it was confirmed that Marc Marquez will extend his Ducati contract and be joined by Pedro Acosta next season. Meanwhile Pecco Bagnaia will make way and join Marco Bezzecchi at Aprilia.
Now, with Quartararo leaving Yamaha along with teammate and race-winner Alex Rins, it is expected that Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura will take their place next season.
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