Honda has selected Cristhian Pupulin, currently Luca Marini’s crew chief, to lead Fabio Quartararo’s technical team when the French rider joins the factory MotoGP squad in the 2027 season. According to Motorsport.com and Autosport, the decision is part of Honda’s plan to rebuild its competitive structure around Quartararo by transferring Marini’s crew-chief setup to his side of the Repsol Honda garage.
The decision to appoint Cristhian Pupulin as Fabio Quartararo’s crew chief is part of Honda’s broader strategy to rebuild its MotoGP factory team around the French rider, who will join Repsol Honda for the 2027 and 2028 seasons, according to reports from Motorsport.com and Autosport. Pupulin currently serves as crew chief for Luca Marini, another Repsol Honda rider, and will transfer his technical leadership and race-weekend responsibilities to Quartararo’s side of the garage starting in 2027.
Honda has already finalized Cristhian Pupulin’s appointment as Fabio Quartararo’s crew chief, indicating an internal decision rather than speculation.
Motorsport.com and Autosport both report that Honda has already finalized Pupulin’s appointment, indicating an internal decision rather than speculation. The crew chief will oversee setup direction, technical decisions during race weekends, and act as the primary link between Quartararo and Honda’s engineering staff. This move effectively shifts the existing technical framework that supported Marini to Quartararo’s team, signaling Honda’s confidence in Pupulin’s expertise and approach.
Quartararo, 26, will leave Yamaha at the end of his current contract to join Honda, ending a partnership that began with his MotoGP debut in 2019, according to Sports Yahoo, which cites Motorsport.com. His contract with Honda covers two seasons, 2027 and 2028, positioning him as a central figure in Honda’s long-term competitive plans. The early selection of Pupulin allows Honda and the crew chief to begin long-term planning for technical continuity and working methods ahead of Quartararo’s arrival.
Pupulin’s reassignment comes as both Luca Marini and teammate Joan Mir have contracts with Honda that expire at the end of 2026, creating an open scenario for the 2027 Repsol Honda lineup. Sources confirmed that Honda’s next steps will include deciding Quartararo’s teammate, but Pupulin’s role has been secured in advance to ensure stable technical leadership for the incoming rider. The reassignment of Marini’s crew chief may prompt a reconfiguration of Marini’s technical support should he remain with Honda beyond 2026.
The move is part of a comprehensive reorganization within the Repsol Honda garage designed to optimize support for Quartararo, who is seen by Honda as a key figure in their effort to regain championship competitiveness. Motorsport.com and Autosport report that aligning a trusted crew chief already familiar with Honda’s systems is intended to reduce adaptation time and provide immediate technical continuity when Quartararo begins racing for the team.
Honda’s factory MotoGP team has not yet officially announced Quartararo’s signing, but the selection of Pupulin as crew chief has been confirmed by multiple sources, underscoring the team’s commitment to a coordinated rider and technical staff strategy. Reports indicate that once the signing is publicly confirmed, Honda will focus on finalizing the rest of the team composition, including rider pairings and additional technical personnel.
The decision to build the 2027–2028 project around Quartararo and Pupulin reflects Honda’s approach to stabilizing and upgrading its competitive package through coordinated staffing decisions. The team aims to establish a clearly defined technical leadership structure for Quartararo from his first race with the factory squad, avoiding late or transitional appointments.
In the context of Honda’s recent struggles in MotoGP, the acquisition of Quartararo and the appointment of Pupulin as his crew chief represent key elements of a strategic reset. The French rider’s move from Yamaha, where he rose to prominence as a world champion-level competitor, offers Honda a proven talent to lead development. Pupulin’s experience with Marini is seen as sufficiently valuable and transferable to support Quartararo’s technical program effectively.
As Honda prepares for the 2027 season, the team’s focus will remain on integrating Quartararo with a stable technical foundation while determining the future of other riders and staff members whose contracts expire after 2026. Official announcements regarding Quartararo’s contract and the full Repsol Honda lineup are expected in the coming months, with the crew chief appointment already laying the groundwork for the team’s competitive ambitions.
