Yamaha told startling date for when Fabio Quartararo will decide MotoGP future amid Ducati interest

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Fabio Quartararo has clearly been the best Yamaha rider in the 2025 MotoGP season so far, but the Japanese squad are at risk of losing the Frenchman at the end of 2026.

The 26-year-old has led the Yamaha brand since he replaced Valentino Rossi in their factory team in 2021, when he also won that season’s riders’ title. But Quartararo is now beginning to consider where his future may be better served, as his contract is due to expire next year.

Quartararo’s £10m a year Yamaha contract makes him the highest-paid rider on the MotoGP grid today. But the Iwata team have not contended for a title since 2022, when they also last won a Grand Prix thanks to Quartararo’s 11th career victory to date at the 2022 German GP.

Only scoring one Grand Prix podium through the first 19 rounds of the 2025 MotoGP season has also now seen Quartararo admit he is already “thinking” about his future at Yamaha. He secured second place in the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez back in round five after taking pole.

Yamaha must convince Fabio Quartararo that they can improve by the 2026 Sepang pre-season test

Quartararo has told Yamaha that 2026 is their final chance to impress him, as he has already given the Iwata outfit the past two years to try to turn their fortunes around to no avail. The Nice native has only taken one podium through the past 44 Grands Prix since October 2023.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Fabio Quartararo from net worth to career stats

And Neil Hodgson believes Yamaha must convince Quartararo as early as the first 2026 pre-season test in Sepang next February, otherwise the Frenchman will tell his manager to find him a new team. It is said that Ducati are interested in signing Quartararo for the 2027 term.

Hodgson said on TNT Sports 2 (25/10, 03:21): “[He will decide] before March. Here, he will make it here after the test in February, because then that is essentially the bike you’re going to be racing all year.

“If it’s off the pace, I think he will speak to his manager and say, ‘Right, where are we at? What are our options moving forward?’ We know Fabio is clearly one of the ‘A’ riders, one of the kingpins. He will have options.

“His manager will have already had the conversations, absolutely, now. So, I think he will go early. If he’s not happy with what he sees, he’ll go. He’s obviously invested enough time now in the project, and he’s been rewarded incredibly for it.

“But he’s still a young man, and he wants to be on a bike that gives him the chance to win races week-in, week-out. Or at least his comments were [about wanting to] fight for the podium every weekend and, almost at worst, a bad day be a fifth place.”

MotoGP’s 2027 regulation changes could make leaving Yamaha a risk for Fabio Quartararo

Yamaha will be able to feature in both 2026 pre-season tests at Sepang next year, due to the Iwata outfit being in MotoGP Concessions Rank D owing to their lack of results across recent seasons. Their extra track time may be crucial to getting a V4-engined YZR-M1 up to speed.

Quartararo continues to question the progress that Yamaha are making with their V4 engine expected to be raced in the 2026 MotoGP season. If his fears persist and Yamaha are not on a stronger trajectory by the Sepang Test, then Hodgson’s expectations might yet materialise.

Ducati could offer Quartararo a new home in the 2027 season, as the Borgo Panigale natives will likely need to consider their line-up with Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia also out of contract next year. But MotoGP’s regulation changes in 2027 could make any move a risk.