Yamaha has begun what is expected to be the second round of announcing its 2027 MotoGP rider line-up by officially saying farewell to Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins.
Like most 2027 deals, the decisions remained an open secret for months, but the announcements were delayed by a single, recently resolved contract impasse between Liberty Media and the MotoGP teams.
Quartararo moves to Honda, and Rins faces the end of his MotoGP racing career.
Yamaha have signed a pair of current Aprilia riders to replace them – factory rider and current championship leader Jorge Martin and Trackhouse Dutch Grand Prix winner Ai Ogur.
With official confirmation of these deals, as well as Quartararo’s move to Honda, expected soon, Yamaha has now made its first announcement.
Rins’ tenure at Yamaha was a painful disappointment. He arrived at the start of 2024, still recovering from a serious leg injury he suffered at LCR Honda the previous summer, and at a time when Yamaha’s competitiveness was at an all-time low.
This lack of competitiveness has strained Quartararo and Yamaha’s long-standing relationship, which started off so well when Quartararo won the 2021 title in his first year as a factory rider after being promoted from satellite team Petronas SRT.
Quartararo has become increasingly frustrated in recent years, especially this season due to the slow start of the new V4 engine project – a change of direction from which he will see little benefit as he soon moves to Honda.
Yamaha MotoGP managing director Paolo Pavesio acknowledged that the team and Quartararo had “shared both great successes and difficult moments together.”
“We have grown, celebrated accomplishments that have shaped our history, and faced challenges that have strengthened us,” he said.
“Beyond the results, it is this journey that defines our relationship and, in the end, Fabio will always remain one of the true legends of Yamaha MotoGP.”
As for Rins, Pavesio thanked him for his “valuable experience, insightful insight and unwavering commitment.”
Yamaha satellite team Pramac is expected to retain Toprak Razgatlioglu but let go of Jack Miller in favor of Moto2 graduate Izan Guevara.