Marco Bezzecchi
Fabio Quartararo will leave Yamaha at the end of the 2026 MotoGP season, as he has reached an agreement to join Honda from the start of the 850cc regulations in 2027.
The 26-year-old’s future has been up in the air for several months, as his contract at Yamaha will expire at the conclusion of the 2026 season. Quartararo is the highest-paid rider on the MotoGP grid, but he is determined to get back to winning ways after three winless seasons.
Quartararo scored Yamaha’s most recent Grand Prix victory in Germany back in 2022 for the 11th victory of his premier class career, which the Frenchman has spent entirely on the YZR-M1 to date. The 2021 champion has also secured only four podiums since the start of 2023.
Wow! Did you see this one coming?
Fabio Quartararo agrees to join Honda on a two-year contract from 2027
So, Motorsport.com now reports that Quartararo has agreed to leave Yamaha for Honda on a two-year contract from 2027. While Yamaha met the Nice native’s financial demands with his most recent contract extension in April 2024, their lack of progress fuelled his desire to quit.
READ MORE: Honda’s top five riders of all time, including Marc Marquez and Mick Doohan
Quartararo wanted to help Yamaha return to the top of MotoGP when he put pen to paper on his last contract back in April 2024. Yet Yamaha’s inability to return to winning ways with their inline four engine has convinced Quartararo to leave before he races with a V4 engine.
Yamaha have switched to a V4 engine from the 2026 season, but it now remains to be seen how much they will involve Quartararo in the development of the unit. It also remains to be seen who Quartararo joins at Honda in 2027, with Joan Mir and Luca Marini out of contract.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
