Fabio Quartararo must say no if Ducati offer him a two-year MotoGP deal after hearing Marc Marquez comments

Add as preferred source on Google

Fabio Quartararo has been linked with Ducati as he considers leaving Yamaha. The Frenchman is at the centre of the MotoGP rider market, with his contract due to expire at the end of next year.

Ducati are admirers of Quartararo and may elect to replace Francesco Bagnaia if his 2025 struggles continue into next year. El Diablo is arguably the best rider not on a Desmosedici motorcycle, making him a natural target.

Quartararo could have ridden a Ducati this year, albeit in the capacity of a satellite rider, but he elected not to take a substantial pay cut. He’s now made it clear that his priority is to win.

There’s a sense that Quartararo has already decided to leave Yamaha, who have built the slowest bike in MotoGP this year. But wherever he goes, he must only sign a one-year deal.

Fabio Quartararo must sign one-year deal if he leaves Yamaha amid 2027 uncertainty

Ducati have won the last six constructors’ championships and are strong favourites to make it seven next year. Aprilia are dark horses, but that will depend on the fitness of Jorge Martin.

But even though they are unquestionably setting the benchmark in this version of MotoGP, there’s no guarantee that their advantage will survive the transition to the new regulations.

Even Marc Marquez is thinking ‘very carefully’ about his Ducati future because ‘nobody’ can be sure about the pecking order. He will partly have to rely on ‘intuition’.

The 1000cc engines will give way to 850s, ride-height devices will be banned, aerodynamics will be simplified and Pirelli will replace Michelin.

It’s feasible that Ducati, or another factory, will offer Quartararo a multi-year contract, but he must ensure he’s only tied down for 12 months, even if that means negotiating options.

If he overcommits, he could find himself trapped in the very same situation he’s facing this year with a bike that can’t win. And as the Martin saga demonstrated, it’s now extremely difficult for a rider to break a contract.

The rising MotoGP team who could turn Fabio Quartararo’s head

Ducati have the Adrian Newey of MotoGP in Luigi Dall’Igna, as well as a title-winning infrastructure. This should ensure that they remain frontrunners, but it’s telling that even Marquez needs to be convinced.

At this stage, no one in the paddock can confidently say who will lead the way at the start of the sport’s new era. That’s why the canniest riders will only lock themselves in for 2027.

Honda are ‘incredibly interested’ in Quartararo, and are still peerless when it comes to resources.

There’s talk that Honda have built a ‘phenomenal’ bike for 2026, and while that won’t necessarily have a bearing on ’27, it could improve their stock at the perfect moment.