Honda have now confirmed that Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo will join them in 2027 to help shape an all-new factory line-up, yet there are a few concerns in the paddock.
It had been an open secret since the start of this year that Quartararo had become fed up at Yamaha and had elected to sign with Honda for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. But it took until this Tuesday for it to be announced owing to the delay with MotoGP’s new commercial deal.
Now that all 11 of the teams are locked in through 2031, the MotoGP rider market has been awash with confirmations of transfers. Tuesday even saw Honda confirm Quartararo’s move from Yamaha one hour after announcing that Moto2 gem David Alonso will step up in 2027.
The only aspect that remains unclear is which rider Honda will field alongside Quartararo in their factory line-up next season. Alonso has signed a multi-year factory Honda contract for his graduation to the premier class, but he is fighting LCR’s Diogo Moreira for a factory seat.
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Fears arise that MotoGP’s 850cc bikes for 2027 will not suit Fabio Quartararo’s riding style
Quartararo will be the figurehead of Honda’s team going into the 850cc era no matter which rider they field next to the 2021 MotoGP champion, though. Yet there are some fears within the paddock that Quartararo’s troubled farewell from Yamaha may be the tip of the iceberg.
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Such has been Yamaha’s woes with their new-for-2026 V4-engined YZR-M1, Quartararo has at times suggested that his “motivation is gone”. According to The Race, some also question whether Quartararo gives Yamaha his all and feel Honda should be wary of his commitment.
But a ‘reputable source’ fears Honda’s biggest issue with Quartararo in 2027 will be that the 850cc bikes that MotoGP is introducing might not suit the Frenchman’s natural style. There are even some doubts about how Quartararo will adapt to riding a Honda for the first time.
Quartararo has spent his entire MotoGP career thus far on Yamaha machinery, having made his debut in 2019 for their then-satellite outfit Petronas SRT before later trading places with Valentino Rossi in 2021. Quartararo won his MotoGP title in his first year in Yamaha’s works line-up, edging Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia by 26 points, before the Iwata outfit regressed.
Moving up to MotoGP aboard the inline four Yamaha M1 with Petronas SRT proved to be a match made in heaven for Quartararo. The Nice native made seven Grand Prix podiums and scored six pole positions in his rookie season, and he only needed four races to score a pole.
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But Yamaha failed to keep up with the likes of Ducati, Aprilia and KTM, and to a lesser extent Honda, since Quartararo’s 2022 title bid collapsed mid-season. So, Quartararo has sought to now put his trust in Honda adapting to MotoGP’s 850cc regulations better than Yamaha will.
Many paddock figures still remember that Quartararo was no shining light during his Moto2 days, though, and MotoGP’s 850cc regulations are expected to deliver bikes similar to those used in the intermediate class. MotoGP is about to ban all ride height and holeshot devices, implement further aerodynamic restrictions and swap from Michelin to Pirelli tyres in 2027.
Petronas SRT giving Quartararo his MotoGP debut in 2019 drew surprise, as the Frenchman only won one of his 36 Moto2 races and made a total of just two podiums. He even finished just 10th in the 2018 Moto2 standings, for his personal-best finish in the intermediate class.
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