QUARTARARO WELCOMES MOREIRA AS HIS 2027 HONDA TEAMMATE

Fabio Quartararo says he would have been happy to share Honda’s factory garage with either Diogo Moreira or David Alonso after the team changed its plans for 2027.

The 2021 MotoGP champion will leave Yamaha at the end of 2026, ending a career-long association with the Japanese manufacturer. He chose Honda over Aprilia, backing the project as he looks to recover his form after several difficult seasons.

Honda initially appeared set to pair Quartararo with Alonso, who is moving up from Moto2 on a direct contract with the manufacturer. But the team opted to promote Moreira to its factory squad after the Brazilian impressed in his rookie MotoGP season with LCR. Moreira has already taken a second place in the Motegi Sprint, his first premier-class podium, and is in line for Rookie of the Year following Toprak Razgatlioglu’s injury in Indonesia.

Alonso will instead make his MotoGP debut with LCR, alongside Johann Zarco. He had sought a factory contract, a condition that Ducati and Yamaha were reportedly unwilling to meet. Honda may compensate him financially for missing out on the factory seat, while continuing to support his development.

Quartararo welcomed the prospect of working with Moreira, telling La Revista De Motos: “I can’t say much about him as a teammate, but on a personal level, I really like Diogo. I have a very good relationship with him, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy working with him.”

He said Alonso would also have been a good fit. “Whether it was going to be David or Diogo, it would have been fine,” Quartararo said, adding that he likes both riders and speaks with Alonso regularly. He described the Colombian as “a very, very intelligent person who always tries to get the absolute most out of everything.”

Quartararo also noted Alonso’s youth and limited experience, saying his first MotoGP season is underway and that next year will be his second. He believes the young rider’s future at Honda could be promising. For the factory seat, however, Moreira’s strong debut campaign made him difficult for Honda to overlook.