– Honda is not only technically pushing ahead with preparations for the 2027 MotoGP season but has apparently made an important personnel decision for Fabio Quartararo’s arrival next year.
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According to information from Motorsport.com, a partner site of Motorsport-Total.com, Cristhian Pupulin is to work as crew chief alongside the Frenchman when Quartararo moves to the Honda factory team next season.
The move of the 2021 world champion to HRC is considered one of the most significant rider transfers for the upcoming MotoGP generation. Although the official announcement was only made this Tuesday, the agreement was reached early. We first reported on the move at the end of January.
Quartararo will be Honda’s flagship from 2027. After eight years in the MotoGP class, the rider from Nice is moving from the Yamaha factory team to the most successful manufacturer in the premier class. He celebrated his greatest success with Yamaha when he won the world championship title in 2021. Now he is to help Honda successfully shape the new era with the 850cc machines to be used from 2027.
Pupulin to lead Quartararo’s Honda project from 2027
According to Motorsport.com, Honda has decided to deploy Pupulin as the technical contact person on the side of the pit that will look after Quartararo in the future.
The Italian has extensive experience in the MotoGP paddock. In the past two years, he worked with Luca Marini after moving from KTM to Honda himself. Before that, he spent a large part of his career at Ducati, looking after Nicky Hayden, Andrea Dovizioso, and Jack Miller there.
In the paddock, Pupulin is known by the nickname “Pipi”. In 2023, he followed Jack Miller to KTM before Honda signed him last year. At HRC, he took over the role of Giacomo Guidotti as Luca Marini’s crew chief.
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The fact that Pupulin is now to look after Quartararo is also related to the current situation surrounding Marini. The Italian is facing a possible move to Tech3. Together with other factors, this made Pupulin the preferred candidate to accompany Quartararo in his entry into the Honda project.
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Yamaha confidant Madurga follows Quartararo to Honda
In addition to Pupulin, Quartararo will also bring a familiar colleague from his Yamaha days to Honda. Ignacio “Nacho” Madurga, currently responsible for tires at Yamaha, is expected to follow the Frenchman to HRC.
Madurga is one of the Yamaha employees with whom Quartararo built the closest relationship during his time with the Japanese manufacturer. His integration into the new Honda environment is thus to be further facilitated.
At Honda, Quartararo is to take on the role of reference rider in the future, both in terms of his status and his sporting successes. Who his teammate will be in the second factory team slot for the 2027 season is still open, however. Diogo Moreira remains the favorite for the second spot.
Decision on second Honda spot not yet made
The reigning Moto2 world champion impressed in his first MotoGP season and quickly adapted to the demands of the premier class. However, according to our information, HRC has not yet made a final decision.
Regardless, it is already clear that Moreira will work with a new crew chief in his second MotoGP season. His current collaboration with Klaus Nöhles ends after this season. Instead, the Brazilian is to be looked after by Andres Madrid in the future, who will move from KTM to Honda.
Besides Moreira, David Alonso would be an option for the factory team. The Moto2 rider will move up to Honda’s MotoGP program next season, but it is still unclear which team. He will also receive an experienced contact person by his side.
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Alonso will work with Santi Hernandez, Joan Mir’s current crew chief, in the future. With this, Honda is relying on experienced MotoGP specialists for its future projects to successfully usher in the new regulatory era from 2027.
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