Fabio Quartararo won’t be returning to Yamaha once his current deal runs out at the end of the 2026 season, having already committed to a move to Honda.
Yamaha had been holding out hope that Quartararo would eventually sign a new deal, but those hopes have now faded. The 2021 MotoGP champion had become the face of their project, but he made his decision before even testing their upcoming V4-engined YZR-M1 set for 2026.
Quartararo finished that year with 201 points, well ahead of Jack Miller on 79, Alex Rins with 68, and Miguel Oliveira on 43. Despite carrying much of the load for Yamaha over recent years, frustrations grew as victories became harder to come by.
The wait for another Grand Prix win stretched to 72 races. He hasn’t stood on the top step since taking Yamaha’s last victory in Germany back in 2022. It was during that run that he held a commanding lead in the championship by as many as 34 points.
Fabio Quartararo’s frustration with Yamaha boss led to Honda switch
He also told the French outlet that the frustration had been “there for a while”, but it is only now being talked about in public. “There are several things,” he said about what has led to his falling out with Pavesio.
It was revealed in April 2026 that Quartararo had agreed to join Honda in a huge deal, as part of their rebuilding project after years spent outside the championship conversation. This story also gives you the background as to why the move was made, and which senior figure played a key role in pushing him towards an exit.
In fact, by April of 2026, there were reports from L’Equipe emerging that had claimed that Fabio was growing frustrated under Pavesio’s reign. He even addressed those claims at the time, but admitted: “That frustration is there for a while and now it comes out.”
The switch did not pay off though – and this latest update just goes to show how much Yamaha have struggled behind the scenes since Lin Jarvis left them after more than two decades.
Fabio Quartararo’s switch to Honda suggests a lack of faith in Yamaha’s 850cc project
Quartararo is taking a risk by agreeing to join Honda in 2027, as he would be by joining any team ahead of the regulation changes. LCR rider Johann Zarco won the 2025 French Grand Prix at Le Mans to secure Honda their only feature race victory through the past 59 rounds.
LCR’s Johann Zarco delivered Honda their only feature race win over that stretch, taking victory at the 2025 French Grand Prix. The Tokyo-based team still need to settle on Quartararo’s teammate for next season. Both Joan Mir and Luca Marini are out of contract after 2026, with both riders hoping to secure new deals under the upcoming regulations.
There’s also some doubt about whether Yamaha will keep involving Quartararo in development work for their new bike. His decision to move on before those changes take effect raises questions about his faith in their direction.
Meanwhile, Jorge Martin appears more optimistic about what Yamaha are building. Reports surfaced on the same day as Quartararo’s move linking Martin with a potential switch once his deal with Aprilia ends this year.
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