Yamaha knows it must deliver a more competitive 2026 MotoGP bike to retain Fabio Quartararo ahead of the 2027 regulation shakeup.
The Japanese marque suffered again in 2025, finishing bottom of the Constructors’ standings, with Quartararo the sole grand prix finisher at Jerez.
Despite his last premier-class victory coming in 2022, the 2021 champion has grown increasingly impatient and has openly acknowledged he would explore his options if Yamaha fails to deliver a competitive machine this season.
The 2027 regulations will trigger a major shake-up in both machinery and the rider market, with 19 contracts expiring at the end of 2026.
Yamaha has only one rider contracted through to 2027 – MotoGP newcomer Toprak Razgatlioglu, who arrives after winning three WorldSBK titles to join Pramac and partner up with Jack Miller.
Managing director Paolo Pavesio has acknowledged that retaining Quartararo will depend on the brand delivering a competitive package.
“For now, we’re happy to have a strong rider under contract for 2027. As for the rest, we’ll work on it,” he said via GPone.
“What we can do on our part is to make the bike more competitive, so that the team can become more interesting, as well as making our current riders happy, especially Quartararo.
“We hope we can continue with him and that all parties involved are happy to do so.
“In my opinion, if he finds what he’s looking for, I believe Fabio will be happy to continue with us. We’ll see.”
Pavesio and Yamaha are keeping their cards close to their chest when it comes to possible rider signings.
Factory rider Alex Rins could be considered under threat, having finished only third within the Yamaha setup in 2025, while Miller, given a career lifeline to join the brand, has proven his worth on its new V4 project.
Given his stature and knack for overperforming on the M1, Quartararo is likely to be linked with multiple teams in the paddock beyond 2026.
Speaking on Yamaha’s plans in the rider market, Pavesio stated: “I don’t know, maybe it already started.
“I think that at some point, when the first decisions are made, there’s going to be a domino effect.
“For now, we’re monitoring the situation and making decisions, but I won’t discuss them with you.
“Whether it’s good or bad that it’s starting so early, I don’t know, but it’s a fact. These are the rules of the game, and we have to understand them and try to do our best.”
READ MORE – Fabio Quartararo reveals Yamaha is still ‘missing quite a lot’ from MotoGP V4 package
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