Fabio Quartararo Silent on 2027 Honda Move, Sparks Major MotoGP Speculation

MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Fabio Quartararo offered no denial when confronted with reports that he has already signed to ride for Honda in 2027, responding with silence and sharp body language that instantly ignited chaos in the MotoGP rider market during day two of the Sepang MotoGP Shakedown.

Arriving at the circuit on Friday, the former MotoGP world champion was immediately asked about Thursday’s report claiming he had agreed terms with Honda for the next regulations cycle. Rather than dismissing the claim, Quartararo shut down the conversation with a blunt reply.

“Too much talking! Focus on what we can focus,” Quartararo told MotoGP.com.

When pressed further on whether he was already “working on it” — a reference to the reported Honda move — Quartararo simply mimed a zipped mouth. The gesture spoke volumes, and within minutes the paddock narrative had shifted from testing updates to full-blown silly season mayhem.

Silence That Spoke Loudly

Quartararo has been a Yamaha rider since his premier-class debut in 2019 and remains the manufacturer’s most high-profile asset. Notably, he did not ride on day one of the Shakedown, nor did fellow Yamaha race riders Alex Rins and Jack Miller.

That context has fuelled speculation that Quartararo’s future was already settled before he even completed a lap on Yamaha’s latest V4 machine. His refusal to deny the Honda report only intensified that belief among rival teams and industry insiders.

The initial report, published by Motorsport.com, triggered a rapid chain reaction. A follow-up claim suggested Jorge Martin is set to replace Quartararo at Yamaha, before AS.com reported that Pedro Acosta has agreed terms to become Marc Marquez’s team-mate at Ducati.

Within hours, day two of a low-key Shakedown test had turned into the opening salvo of the 2027 rider market.

Performance Continues Amid the Noise

Despite the off-track turmoil, Quartararo eventually took to the Sepang circuit and set the fourth-fastest time of the day. His run came on the same day that Pramac Yamaha rider Jack Miller took Yamaha’s V4 to the top of a MotoGP session for the first time — albeit with a limited Shakedown line-up.

Quartararo’s pace demonstrated that his on-track focus remains intact. However, the broader significance of his performance was impossible to separate from the uncertainty surrounding Yamaha’s long-term project and whether its lead rider is already planning an exit.

For Yamaha, the Sepang Shakedown represents a critical early evaluation phase for its V4 engine concept ahead of the new regulations. Quartararo’s data is invaluable, but the possibility of losing him to Honda would force a fundamental rethink of the manufacturer’s competitive strategy.

Why Honda Matters

If the reported move materialises, Quartararo’s switch to Honda would rank among the most significant transfers of the modern MotoGP era. Honda, still rebuilding after several difficult seasons, would secure one of the grid’s purest talents — a rider proven to extract performance even when machinery falls short.

For Yamaha, the implications are equally dramatic. Losing its benchmark rider would accelerate the need for a replacement capable of leading development through the next technical cycle. Jorge Martin’s name emerging so quickly underlines how aggressively teams are already positioning themselves for 2027.

Bigger Than a Shakedown

While Shakedown lap times remain secondary, the events of Friday reinforced a key reality: MotoGP’s 2026 season is already being shaped by decisions for 2027. Quartararo’s silence, rather than calming speculation, has become a catalyst for one of the most explosive early silly seasons in recent memory.

The Shakedown concludes on Saturday, followed by the full Official Sepang MotoGP Test from February 3–5. Yet regardless of what happens on track, the rider market narrative has already shifted — and at its centre stands a world champion who chose not to say “no.”