Honda, the only way out for Fabio Quartararo?

As rumors swirl about seat allocations for the 2027 season MotoGP, fabio quartararo He is looking for a way out to finalize his departure from Yamaha. For the past few weeks, paddock rumors have been linking him to Honda. This hypothesis is gaining credibility with each passing day and – given the state of the rider transfer market – appears to be the last real opportunity for the Nice native to change teams, as other doors are closing.

Indeed, if the Frenchman wants to continue leading a factory project, his options are dwindling. At Ducati, the best team on the grid, Marc Márquez remains the cornerstone, while Borgo Panigale seems to be focusing its efforts on signing Pedro Acosta to support him.

Currently the second-best team on the grid, Aprilia has officially announced the contract extension of Marco Bezzecchi. However, it is primarily the Frenchman's salary demands that are closing the door on Noale for the 2021 world champion. The budget gap between the Italian team and the Japanese giant is well-known.

KTM, despite its attractiveness, pales in comparison to a Honda structure in full transformation, which has moved into Tier C of concessions thanks to huge progress in 2025. In addition to the ongoing negotiations of the Austrian manufacturer with the 2025 world runner-up Álex Márquez, the HRC seems better equipped for the aerodynamic reset of 2027: a regulation which, on paper, suits the Japanese manufacturers better.

Johann Zarco welcomes Fabio Quartararo with open arms

Especially since it's well known that HRC is hunting for a big-name rider to embody its resurgence. Last year, Honda had two priority targets: Pedro Acosta and Jorge Martín. The former is now being courted by Ducati, while the latter's string of injuries – which hampered his 2025 season – makes him less marketable. The Spaniard is also tipped to replace Fabio Quartararo at Iwata. Thus, number 20, with his world championship title and expertise in the discipline, emerges as the ideal candidate.

Interviewed by French journalist Michel Turco on the show TalkbackGPIn Sepang, Johann Zarco (Honda LCR) spoke about the matter. The Cannes native first admitted his surprise: "I was surprised, well, surprised, we don't know if it's done yet. We haven't signed. We understood that we weren't far off, though. But I wouldn't have thought that he might be interested in another Japanese brand.", he confides.

He then went on to offer his unequivocal support: "It's true that Honda has that same Japanese mentality, but it's not the same motorcycle. So, I think it's a good thing."The new technical framework, which simplifies aerodynamics, could benefit the Japanese team, which is lagging behind the Europeans in this area. "In my opinion, motorcycling can also be very good in 2027, because everything will be new.", specifies number 5.

A patriot at heart, the winner of the French Grand Prix is ​​already dreaming of a French tandem at the forefront. "So, it would be a good example to have, and there's a way to make France happy.", concludes Johann Zarco.

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