Fabio Quartararo opens a new chapter in his career. After eight seasons with Yamaha since his MotoGP debut, the 27-year-old driver from Nice has officially committed to Honda for the 2027 and 2028 MotoGP seasons. A signing that has been anticipated for several months, as the new technical regulations come into effect.
The suspense is now over. During the summer break, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) officially announced on Tuesday, July 21, the recruitment of Fabio Quartararo for the 2027 and 2028 seasons of the MotoGP World Championship. This announcement comes three weeks after confirming the French driver’s departure from Yamaha, ending a collaboration that began in 2019.
At 27 years old, the driver from Nice will discover a new manufacturer for the first time since arriving in the premier category. The first rumors of an agreement between Fabio Quartararo and Honda date back to January. The announcement of Yamaha’s departure in June subsequently cleared up any remaining doubts before this official confirmation during the championship’s summer break.
Honda’s statement outlines the details of this commitment: “ Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) is pleased to announce the recruitment of Fabio Quartararo for the 2027 and 2028 seasons of the MotoGP World Championship. Quartararo will race for the Honda HRC factory team as the 850cc era in MotoGP begins in 2027. “
A new challenge for the 2021 world champion
The career of Fabio Quartararo gives an indication of the magnitude of the challenge. Before joining MotoGP, the driver from Nice distinguished himself in the former FIM CEV Moto3 International Championship, then during four seasons competed in the Moto3 and Moto2 World Championships.
His arrival in the premier category in 2019 confirmed this potential. As early as the fourth race of his first season, Fabio Quartararo secured his first pole position. The season concluded with six pole positions and seven podiums, a remarkable entry at the highest level.
Progress continued in the following seasons. In 2021, the driver from Nice became MotoGP world champion before finishing vice-champion in 2022. To date, Fabio Quartararo has totaled 11 victories, 32 podiums and 21 pole positions in the premier category. A record that convinced Honda to make the Frenchman one of the pillars of its sporting project.
Honda banking on the new 2027 regulations
This transfer marks a turning point for the driver from the Côte d’Azur. The two Japanese manufacturers have lost ground to European brands in recent seasons. Yamaha continues to face difficulties, while Honda shows signs of progress after several years of rebuilding.
The implementation of the new technical regulations in 2027, with the transition to 850cc engines, should shuffle the cards in MotoGP. This evolution weighed on Fabio Quartararo’s decision, called upon to become the new face of the Honda project as the championship enters a new era.
The confirmation of this signing came moments after that of David Alonso. The Colombian, currently competing in Moto2 with the CFMOTO India Aspar Team, will also join MotoGP in 2027. However, Honda did not specify which team the young driver will compete for. Diogo Moreira, the teammate of Johann Zarco, is also among the candidates to join the official team alongside Fabio Quartararo.
The driver from Nice will also discover a new technical environment. According to several reports, Cristhian Pupulin will join Fabio Quartararo as chief mechanic. The Italian engineer, who has worked at Ducati and KTM before joining Honda, will participate in the development of the future RC214V that meets the 2027 regulations.
With this signing, Fabio Quartararo is about to write a new chapter in his career. After building his entire MotoGP history with Yamaha, the 2021 world champion will now attempt to bring Honda back to the forefront when the 850cc era begins.
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