Christian Pupulin to become Fabio Quartararo's crew chief at Honda

Honda is already making important plans for the 2027 MotoGP season as the Japanese manufacturer prepares to welcome Fabio Quartararo to its factory team. The French rider is expected to become one of the key figures in Honda's long-term project for the new MotoGP era.

Quartararo's move to Honda has been expected for several months, although the official announcement has not yet been made. Reports say the agreement was reached much earlier this year, making him Honda's biggest signing ahead of the major MotoGP rule changes in 2027. That season will introduce new 850cc motorcycles, replacing the current 1000cc bikes, and every manufacturer is already preparing for the new challenge.

The 2021 MotoGP World Champion has spent his entire premier-class career with Yamaha. Since making his MotoGP debut in 2019, he has become one of the sport's fastest and most successful riders, taking multiple Grand Prix victories and winning the world title in 2021. His move to Honda will end an eight-season partnership with Yamaha and begin a completely new chapter in his career.

Honda is already working to make Quartararo's arrival as smooth as possible. According to Motorsport.com, the factory has chosen Christian Pupulin to become his crew chief.

Pupulin is one of the most experienced crew chiefs in the MotoGP paddock. He currently works with Luca Marini at Honda and has built an impressive career with several leading manufacturers. Before joining Honda, he worked for Ducati alongside riders such as Nicky Hayden, Andrea Dovizioso and Jack Miller. He later followed Miller to KTM before returning to Honda. Known throughout the paddock by the nickname "Pipi", Pupulin is highly respected for his technical knowledge and experience.

Honda believes Pupulin is the right person to help Quartararo settle into his new team. With Luca Marini expected to leave Honda after the 2026 season, the timing also makes the change possible.

Quartararo will not be arriving at Honda completely alone. Ignacio "Nacho" Madurga, one of the Yamaha engineers with whom Quartararo has developed a strong working relationship, is also expected to join the factory team. Madurga currently looks after tyre performance at Yamaha and is expected to continue working closely with the French rider at Honda.

Honda hopes Quartararo will become its leading rider in the new MotoGP era. His experience, speed and championship-winning pedigree make him the natural choice to lead the factory's development programme as the sport enters a completely new technical generation.

The identity of Quartararo's future team-mate has still not been confirmed. At the moment, Moto2 World Champion Diogo Moreira is believed to be the favourite for the second factory Honda seat. The Brazilian has impressed many people during his rookie MotoGP season by adapting quickly to the demands of the premier class, but Honda has not yet made a final decision.

There are also expected to be further changes inside Honda's garage. Reports suggest that Moreira will receive a new crew chief in 2027, with Andres Madrid set to join from KTM. At the same time, David Alonso, who is expected to move into Honda's MotoGP programme next season, is likely to work with Santi Hernandez, who is currently Joan Mir's crew chief.

With the introduction of the new 850cc MotoGP bikes getting closer, Honda is clearly building its future project well in advance. By bringing in a proven champion like Fabio Quartararo and surrounding him with experienced technical staff, the Japanese manufacturer hopes to return to the front of the MotoGP grid and fight for world championships once again.