Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. officially confirmed on July 1, 2026, that Jorge Martín and Ai Ogura will join the Yamaha Factory MotoGP Team for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Officials said the new line-up is part of Yamaha’s strategic long-term rebuild ahead of the upcoming 850cc regulation change in MotoGP.
Yamaha’s announcement on July 1, 2026, also confirmed that reigning MotoGP World Champion Jorge Martín and Dutch Grand Prix winner Ai Ogura have each signed two-year contracts to join the Yamaha Factory MotoGP Team for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Officials described the new rider pairing as a cornerstone of Yamaha’s strategic long-term rebuild in preparation for the upcoming technical shift to the 850cc engine regulations in MotoGP. The confirmation coincided with Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.’s founding anniversary, underscoring the significance of the timing.
Reigning MotoGP World Champion Jorge Martín and Dutch Grand Prix winner Ai Ogura have each signed two-year contracts to join the Yamaha Factory MotoGP Team for the 2027 and 2028 seasons.
The contracts for Martín and Ogura are exclusive factory deals, positioning both riders as the official Yamaha factory team lineup for the next two years. Provisional grid projections for the 2027 season list Martín and Ogura as Yamaha’s factory riders, replacing the current team members Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins. Sources confirmed that Quartararo and Rins will depart the Yamaha factory project following the conclusion of the 2026 season, with their contracts set to expire at that time. Reports indicate Quartararo is expected to join Honda for 2027, while Rins is set to exit the MotoGP grid.
Jorge Martín’s move to Yamaha marks a significant switch from Aprilia Racing, where he began a multi-year contract starting in 2026. At the time of the announcement, Martín was the current leader in the 2026 MotoGP World Championship standings. Yamaha’s official materials highlighted Martín’s status as the 2024 MotoGP World Champion, emphasizing his credentials as a key acquisition in the rider market ahead of the 2027 season. Media outlets described the signing as a headline move amid broader rider market changes leading into the new technical era.
Ai Ogura’s signing carries historic significance for Yamaha, as he becomes the manufacturer’s first Japanese factory rider in the premier class. Yamaha’s announcement referenced Ogura as the newest MotoGP race winner, citing his victory at the Dutch Grand Prix in Assen. Prior to joining Yamaha, Ogura was contracted with Trackhouse MotoGP through the end of 2026. Officials and reports characterized Ogura as a rising Japanese talent whose presence aligns with Yamaha’s identity as a Japanese manufacturer entering MotoGP’s next era.
The announcement came amid ongoing preparations for the 2027 season’s technical changes. Yamaha described its factory team as being “completely rebuilt” for the 850cc regulation period, with Martín and Ogura as central figures in the project’s relaunch. The company’s broader efforts include testing with other riders, such as Toprak Razgatlioglu, who participated in tyre tests with the new 850cc prototype while contracted to Pramac Yamaha, the satellite team. However, the factory squad’s official lineup for 2027 will consist solely of Martín and Ogura.
Yamaha released the confirmation through a formal company statement and a livestream on its MotoGP Team social media channels, framing the new lineup as an “all-new factory rider line-up” for MotoGP’s next era. Multiple motorsport news outlets independently reported the core details, consistently noting the departure of Quartararo and Rins and the arrival of Martín and Ogura on exclusive two-year factory contracts. The move has been widely covered as a significant reshaping of Yamaha’s MotoGP rider roster ahead of the 2027 season.
The 2027 season will mark the introduction of the new 850cc engine regulations, a major technical shift in MotoGP. Yamaha’s announcement positioned the Martín-Ogura pairing as the foundation for the team’s competitiveness under these revised rules. The company’s strategic focus on long-term development and rider stability reflects its intent to adapt to the evolving MotoGP landscape. The departures of established riders Quartararo and Rins and the arrival of Martín and Ogura signal a comprehensive reset of Yamaha’s factory team as it prepares for the challenges of the upcoming era.
