Honda has officially confirmed its decision to hire Fabio Quartararo with a two-year contract, marking a significant step in the new MotoGP project of the Japanese brand.
The contract was finalized at the end of January, but several circumstances delayed the announcement until the current summer holiday period. Among the reasons are agreements between manufacturers to avoid communications about rider changes before signing the so-called ‘Concorde Agreement’, now known as the ‘Brno Agreement’, which establishes the commercial and sporting foundations between manufacturers and championship organizers for the next five years.
This lineup also aligns with Honda’s internal corporate calendar. Finally, after months of uncertainty, the company made it public that the Nice rider will join the factory team until the end of the 2028 season.
Quartararo leaves Yamaha after eight years with the Japanese brand. He debuted in MotoGP in 2019 with the satellite team Sepang Racing Team and was promoted to the factory pilot team two years later, winning the world title in 2021. Since then, Yamaha’s competition has declined, although Quartararo decided to give the brand one last chance with a contract extension in 2024.
His decision to switch to Honda came due to the lack of tangible progress before the new technical regulations of MotoGP that will come into effect in 2027, as well as the difficulties connecting with Yamaha’s new management.
The French rider arrives at Honda with an impressive MotoGP resume, which includes the 2021 title, 11 victories, 32 podiums, and 21 poles. Currently, he occupies the 14th position in the championship standings, being the highest-ranked Yamaha rider, although he is still waiting for his first podium visit this season.
Honda has released a statement confirming Quartararo’s addition to the Honda HRC factory team starting in 2027, coinciding with the era of 850cc engines.
Although no quote from Quartararo was included in the communication, as he remains under contract with Yamaha, according to Motorsport.com, Honda has chosen Christian Pupulin as head of its new team, tasked with accelerating Quartararo’s adaptation to the RC213V bike.
One of the issues yet to be resolved is who will occupy the second spot in the factory team, following the announcement that David Alonso will join Honda. The Colombian rider will compete with Diogo Moreira for that spot, while whoever does not secure the slot is expected to compete with LCR Honda in 2027.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
