Fabio Quartararo makes telling gesture when asked about Honda MotoGP rumours

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Fabio Quartararo was back in action for Yamaha at the Sepang Shakedown on Friday, less than 24 hours after the bombshell news that he’s set to join Honda.

It emerged on Thursday that Quartararo will leave Yamaha for their Japanese rivals at the end of the season. A two-year Honda deal has been agreed.

Quartararo’s exit isn’t a surprise given that he has expressed growing frustration with Yamaha’s limitations. He hasn’t won a MotoGP race since the 2022 German GP.

Wow! Did you see this one coming?

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The timing, though, did come as a shock. He had only tested an early V4 prototype, but already, he is prepared to choose a horse for the 2027 regulations.

Fabio Quartararo makes ‘mouth shut’ gesture as he addresses Honda talk

MotoGP’s official channels approached Quartararo for a comment on the story as he walked through the Malaysia paddock. Predictably, the 2021 world champion refused to engage directly.

“Too much talking,” he laughed. “Focus on what we can focus [on].”

It was telling, though, that Quartararo didn’t deny the claims when he had the perfect opportunity to do so. He also made shushing and ‘mouth-shut’ gestures when asked if he was ‘working on it’ for next year.

This was perhaps the body language of a rider who knows an official announcement is coming, but isn’t in a position to say anything yet. Quartararo will handle his departure carefully given his long-standing relationship with Yamaha, who gave him a title-winning bike in 2021.

What Fabio Quartararo’s manager is saying about Honda story

Speaking to Canal+, Quartararo’s manager, Thomas Maubant, ‘confirmed’ that he was in talks with Honda, but said the process of choosing a team for 2027 is still ongoing.

“The only thing I can confirm is that there are several negotiations underway, and Honda is part of one of them,” he said. “But, as of today, nothing has been signed.”

Yamaha are set to sign Jorge Martin from Aprilia to replace Quartararo. Toprak Razgatlioglu, who penned a factory deal before joining Pramac, could be Martin’s teammate if he performs well as a rookie.

Meanwhile, Honda are selecting a teammate for Quartararo, with Luca Marini the early favourite. That will force 2020 world champion Joan Mir to seek a new home and deny Diogo Moreira a factory spot.