Fabio Quartararo signs two-year contract extension with Yamaha MotoGP team - 'We will be back at the front'

Fabio Quartararo has confirmed his MotoGP future by signing a two-year contract extension with Yamaha.

The French racer will stay with Yamaha for the 2025 and 2026 MotoGP seasons, despite a downturn in form during his time with the team.

Quartararo earned his first MotoGP World Championship title in 2021 and finished second in the driver standings in 2022.

But he sunk to 10th last season, recording just three podium finishes as Yamaha went without a win for the first time in two decades.

This season has not started much better for Quartararo, who is currently in 11th place.

But the 24-year-old has shown his commitment to Yamaha with the new deal.

"I am super happy to announce that I am going to continue my adventure in blue," Quartararo said.

"Last winter Yamaha proved to me that they have a new approach and a new aggressive mindset. My confidence is high: we will be back at the front together.

"Six years ago, they gave me the chance to step up to MotoGP, and since then we have achieved great things together.

"We still have a long way ahead of us to start fighting for victory again. I will work hard, and I am sure that, together, we will achieve our dream again!"

Yamaha Motor Racing managing director Lin Jarvis admitted the team had struggled in recent months, but insisted changes had been made to ensure a return to winning ways.

"We are very pleased that Fabio will remain a Yamaha rider," he said. "Keeping Fabio as a part of the Factory team is integral to Yamaha's MotoGP Project.

"Fabio is an exceptional talent, a hard worker, a great team player, and he has many competitive years ahead of him.

"We have already made significant changes to our organisation including a new internal management system, recruitment of top expertise within the industry, new external technical partnerships, increased development budget, and an intensified testing programme.

"All these changes are designed to speed up the process for us to return to winning ways."

Jarvis added: "We are the first to admit that there is much work to do to get back to the competitive level we were at in 2021 and the first half of 2022.

"But with Fabio you know he will always put in 100% of his best effort. It also comes natural to him to create harmony and a good atmosphere with all staff members.

"He can count on the team's and Yamaha's full support every step of the way as we challenge to win more championships together."

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