Last week saw the first two teams to solidify their line-up ahead of the 2027 MotoGP season. Pedro Acosta moves into Francesco Bagnaia’s seat alongside Marc Márquez at Ducati Lenovo Team. Over at Aprilia Racing, Marco Bezzecchi will be joined by fellow Italian Bagnaia. Now, another team has completed their seats. With Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins departing, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will field Jorge Martín and Ai Ogura.
Quartararo and Rins To Depart
At the end of 2026, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will say goodbye to their current line-up. Both Quartararo and Rins are leaving, marking a completely new era for the team as they face new regulations.
Quartararo joined MotoGP in 2019 with Yamaha satellite team, Petronas Yamaha SRT. In an impressive rookie year, he finished fifth in the standings, achieving seven podiums. In 2020, he continued a positive relationship with the team, taking his debut win at the season opener. 2021 saw him advance into the factory Yamaha team, and together they achieved a World Championship.
Rins first stepped into the MotoGP paddock in 2017, joining Team Suzuki Ecstar. Two years later, he achieved his maiden win at the 2019 Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Americas. He stayed with Suzuki for six years, leaving for LCR Honda in 2023 after the manufacturer left the series. His time with Honda was short, with multiple surgeries seeing him miss 13 rounds. 2024 was when he joined Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team.
Quartararo’s time with the manufacturer has been fruitful, seeing him take 21 poles, 32 podiums, and 11 wins. Joining when the team started to struggle has seen Rins not have the same success. Quartararo is rumoured to be heading to Honda. However, there is no speculation on Rins’ future.
“Fabio and Álex have both played an important role in Yamaha’s MotoGP project, and we are very grateful for their efforts, dedication, and collaboration over the years.”
~ Yamaha Motor Racing’s Managing Director, Paolo Pavesio
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team’s New Line-Up
Currently, Martín and Ogura both race for Aprilia. The #89 is in the factory team, whereas the #79 is in the satellite Trackhouse MotoGP Team. Now, both of them depart their current manufacturer and head for a new challenge with Yamaha.
“We are excited to welcome Jorge and Ai to the Yamaha Factory MotoGP Team as we enter a new era in 2027. Securing riders of this calibre underlines our ambition and confidence in the project.“
~ Pavesio on the signing of Martín and Ogura
Jorge Martín
Martín started with Ducati in MotoGP, racing for Prima Pramac Racing when he joined in 2021. He immediately showed promise, winning a race in his rookie year. Continuing with Prima Pramac and Ducati, year on year he was growing into a force to be reckoned with. Battling with Bagnaia for the 2024 World Championship saw an end to his time with the Italian outfit.
Despite winning the championship, factory team Ducati Lenovo opted for Márquez, and Martín headed to Aprilia Racing. His first year with the team was an uphill struggle, missing most rounds after accidents and surgeries. Whilst he tried to leave the team early, he eventually opted to stay out his contract. Now, in 2026, he is back to the championship winner we’ve come to know. Leading the standings over his teammate, Martín currently has five podiums, including his first win since his championship.
Ai Ogura
One of the younger riders on the grid, Ogura was one of three rookies to debut in 2025. His debut season was a tale of two stories, with good results marred by an uncompetitive bike and injuries. But as Aprilia Racing have progressed, so has Trackhouse.
This year, he’s showing why he won the Moto2 championship in 2024. After achieving his maiden podium in France, he’s continuing to grow with each round. Czechia saw him take a maiden pole position, and last time out in the Netherlands he finally stood on the top step. He may be young, but in each round Ogura is proving his tyre management and wheel-to-wheel skills are exceptional.
MotoGP in 2027 is Shaping Up
With the confirmation of these riders, the 2027 MotoGP grid now has seven confirmed seats. With new regulations, Yamaha will be hoping this pairing can help them develop their machinery and start becoming competitive again.
For all three parties, it will be a new challenge as they adapt and work together. But considering both Martín and Ogura’s track record, it could be a winning pairing.