2019 SIC Yamaha MotoGP team signs Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Quartararo for next season

With the formation of the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) and Angel Nieto Team as a Yamaha MotoGP satellite team, it was announced that riders Franco Morbidelli (23) and Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (19) have been signed for the 2019 season. This was confirmed by Yamaha Factory Racing Managing Director Lin Jarvis.

Italian Morbidelli, who hails from Rome, Italy, is currently riding for Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) satellite team EG 0,0 Marc VDS. Starting in Moto2 in 2013, Morbidelli was 2017 Moto2 World Champion.

Frenchman Quartararo, who hails from Nice, France, started in Moto3 in 2015 before making the move to Moto2 in 2017 with Pons HP40, riding a Kalex. He finished ninth in last year’s Moto2 championship standings.

Speaking to ex-racer and pitlane reporter Simon Crafar, Jarvis said Yamaha has a hand in rider selection, although the final decision rests with the team. “I wouldn’t say we don’t have a say but ultimately the decision on the riders is that of the satellite team,” he said, “they’re an independent team.”

“Any rider they select needs to be finally approved by us at being at the level and the capacity to ride the M1,” said Jarvis. “So, they’ve chosen to go for Franco Morbidelli, who is a rider who is very interesting to us because he’s a World Champion, he’s an Academy rider and he definitely has talent.”

Asked about the SIC Yamaha team’s choice of second rider Quartaro, Jarvis said although Quartaro is young, he is talented and showed promise in 2018 with future potential. “I think the case of (Hafizh) Syahrin has shown that sometimes you can take a choice and if the guy’s got talent and is brought in without expectation, he can deliver,” Jarvis said.

Jarvis however declined to comment on the amount of factory support the SIC Yamaha would be receiving. “It will be something like Tech 3 or more than that,” said Jarvis.

This might mean the SIC Yamaha team could be getting race machinery a year or two removed from the current generation of MotoGP bikes. What do you think? Has SIC Yamaha made the right choice for 2019 or should there be more Malaysian representation at the top flight of motorcycle motorsport?

GALLERY: Franco Morbidelli


GALLERY: Fabio Quartararo