QUARTARARO TIPS MARQUEZ TO LEAD THE 2027 TITLE FIGHT

Fabio Quartararo expects Marc Marquez to remain the rider to beat in 2027, even as a major rules overhaul threatens to reshuffle MotoGP’s competitive order. The Frenchman named Marquez his “number one favourite” for the title, pointing to the Spaniard’s speed and the advantage of staying with the same team. “He’s the favourite, but I hope I’m the one who wins,” Quartararo told Diario AS.

Quartararo is due to join Honda in 2027, alongside Brazilian rider Diogo Moreira. Honda has attracted attention after Moreira set impressive times during a September test at the Red Bull Ring, though it is not yet clear whether that pace will carry over when the new bikes race. Quartararo, meanwhile, is approaching the move with caution: Honda’s character differs from Yamaha’s, and he expects an adjustment period after several seasons in which he has struggled to compete near the front.

The 2021 world champion hopes to return to title contention and help Honda win its first championship since Marquez took the 2019 crown. But rather than backing himself as the leading candidate, Quartararo sees Marquez as the benchmark, with the Spaniard potentially arriving in 2027 after claiming the 2026 title.

Quartararo also said Marquez’s recovery offers a valuable example after the Frenchman admitted that Yamaha’s recent struggles had made him question his own ability. Asked whether Marquez’s comeback with a different manufacturer could inspire him, Quartararo replied: “Well, it has to serve as an example to me and to all of us here.”

He recalled Marquez’s achievements before injury, describing him as a six-time MotoGP champion, and highlighted the challenges that followed: injury, a team change and the long road back. “Look, it’s taken a while, but for me this is an example both as a rider and in terms of his mindset,” Quartararo said. He added that there were moments when Marquez looked “absolutely shattered”, but praised the work behind his return to the front: “They’ve really worked hard for it.”