Fabio Quartararo has stated he intends to use his remaining races of the 2026 season with Yamaha to prepare for his "next chapter" at Honda, amid the new 850cc and Pirelli tyre era. The 2021 world champion will leave the Iwata-based manufacturer after several difficult seasons to join HRC.
"I prefer to finish seventh than 15th, so it will be my way of being motivated until the end," Quartararo said. "I know that such results will not really change anything for me, but I want to be ready for next year, because it's not because I change that everything is going to be perfect."
The French rider finished seventh at the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring, a positive result considering the struggles of the Yamaha V4 this season. Quartararo currently sits 14th in the world championship, with Yamaha having collected just 69 constructors' points compared to Honda's 109.
"For sure, I will have some difficulties in my next chapter, so I want to push myself to the limit and learn, to find everything I can as a rider," he added. Quartararo emphasized that switching manufacturers does not guarantee immediate results, noting that unofficial lap times from the first 850cc test suggested Aprilia and Ducati were still ahead in the new technical era.
The first event after the summer break will be the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, where Quartararo last year suffered a ride-height device failure while leading. "We made pole position, we were first in the race. Then, we know what happened," Quartararo recalled. "But we don't have the potential this year to fight for this position. So, of course, it's different, but I will do my best to be fast."
After breaking out of the lowest concession ranking last season, Honda will return to D status alongside Yamaha, having taken a step back in 2026.
Sources
- Crash.net — Fabio Quartararo using final Yamaha races to prepare for Honda MotoGP move: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1101091/1/fabio-quartararo-using-final-yamaha-races-prepare-honda-motogp-move
