Fabio Quartararo will leave Yamaha for Honda at the end of the 2026 MotoGP season, with it today announced that the 2021 champion has chosen to swap Japanese teams.
Honda have confirmed that Quartararo has agreed to move to Tokyo on a two-year contract, having decided against extending his tenure for Yamaha. The 27-year-old’s deal for the Iwata squad expires at the end of 2026, and he has opted to seek pastures new for the 850cc era.
Quartararo has ridden in the factory Yamaha line-up since 2021, when he replaced Valentino Rossi in their ranks and immediately went on to win what remains their most recent title. He also regularly hauled their inline four YZR-M1 to limits that no other rider could ever repeat.
What version of Fabio Quartararo will we see at Honda next year?
Fabio Quartararo will join Honda from 2027 on a two-year contract
But reports emerged this January that Quartararo agreed to join Honda from 2027 before he had raced Yamaha’s V4 M1 for the 2026 season. The Nice native had already lost faith in the Iwata squad’s ability to provide him with a competitive package, so he sought pastures new.
READ MORE: The best moments of Fabio Quartararo’s MotoGP career
The rumours that Quartararo will leave Yamaha for Honda from the start of MotoGP’s 850cc regulations also surfaced before 2026 testing began. His defection from one Japanese team to their arch-rival came on the back of Quartararo’s third straight season without a race win.
An even worse season has awaited Quartararo in what is now officially his farewell tour, too. The V4 Yamaha M1’s deficiencies have left their soon-to-be former rider fighting for the last point-paying positions, and Quartararo has even said at times that his “motivation is gone”.
It now remains to be seen who Honda select as Quartararo’s partner for 2027, as Joan Mir and Luca Marini are both out of contract and out of the Tokyo team’s plans beyond 2026.
Earlier today, Honda confirmed the signing of David Alonso to a multi-year factory MotoGP contract for his graduation from Moto2 in 2027. But Honda have not announced whether Alonso will ride for their factory team alongside Quartararo or for their satellite team LCR.
Alternatively, Honda might place Alonso at LCR in 2027 and move Diogo Moreira up, as the Tokyo brand are thought to harbour some concerns about the former’s inconsistent form in Moto2 this year, whereas the latter has frequently impressed in his rookie MotoGP season.
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