Marco Bezzecchi
Yamaha have confirmed that Alex Rins and 2021 MotoGP champion Fabio Quartararo will now both be leaving their factory rider line-up come the end of the 2026 season.
The Iwata crew announced on Tuesday morning that neither Quartararo nor Rins will lead the Japanese giant into MotoGP’s 850cc regulations era next season. Their departures will mark the end of six- and three-year stints at Yamaha, respectively, after joining in 2021 and 2024.
It had long been known that Quartararo will leave Yamaha, as reports first emerged back in January that the Frenchman has agreed to join Honda from next season. Rins, himself, even revealed in April that Yamaha had informed the Spaniard that his time with them was over.
Change our mind, Alex Rins still deserves a MotoGP ride after Yamaha confirm his exit
Yamaha will release Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins at the end of their contracts
Word spread throughout the MotoGP paddock before the 2026 season had even started in January that Quartararo will join Honda on a two-year contract from 2027, having lost faith in Yamaha’s ability to return to the front of the field after his first tests with their V4 engine.
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It also quickly emerged that Yamaha are due to sign Aprilia rider Jorge Martin from 2027 to replace Quartararo, but the 2024 champion’s transfer has yet to be announced. Martin has already lost his ride, though, with Aprilia signing Francesco Bagnaia on a four-year contract.
Rins, meanwhile, looks set to be left without a full-time ride in MotoGP for 2027, with it also an open secret that Yamaha are signing Trackhouse rider Ai Ogura to replace the Spaniard. It is unlikely to be long before Yamaha announce Martin and Ogura’s moves to the Iwata crew.
Quartararo will leave Yamaha as their most recent riders’ champion, having won the title in his first year with their factory team in 2021 after effectively switching places with Valentino Rossi. Yamaha promoted Quartararo from Petronas SRT after two years in the satellite team.
Also, Quartararo remains the last rider to win a MotoGP Grand Prix for Yamaha, as neither has stood atop a podium since the Nice native won the 2022 German GP. It has now been four years since Quartararo won at the Sachsenring, marking a drought of 82 Grands Prix.
Rins, meanwhile, has never been able to find the form on the Yamaha M1 that he showed while racing Suzuki and briefly Honda bikes earlier in his career. The 30-year-old has never been the same rider since he broke his right leg during the Sprint Race at Mugello in 2023.
Speaking about their imminent departures from Yamaha, managing director Paolo Pavesio has thanked Quartararo and Rins for their “important” role in the Iwata outfit’s efforts. He also admits it is “never easy” to say goodbye to their rider line-up for the past three years.
“Fabio and Alex have both played an important role in Yamaha’s MotoGP project, and we are very grateful for their efforts, dedication, and collaboration over the years,” said Pavesio.
“Fabio’s journey with Yamaha spans eight years, during which we have shared both great successes and difficult moments. Together, we have grown, celebrated achievements that have shaped our story, and faced challenges that have strengthened us.
“Beyond the results, it is this journey that defines our relationship, and in the end, Fabio will always remain one of the true legends of Yamaha MotoGP.
“Since joining Yamaha in 2024, Alex has brought valuable experience, meaningful insight and unwavering commitment, playing an important role in the YZR-M1 project’s development.
“While saying goodbye is never easy after years together, we remain fully focused on working as a team to achieve the best possible results until the end of the season.”
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