Fabio Quartararo has publicly backed Moto2 race winner Tony Arbolino for a move up to MotoGP next year, believing he will be a good fit for Yamaha's new satellite team Pramac.
With it all but confirmed that Trackhouse rider Miguel Oliveira will lead Pramac next year, the attention has turned to the second seat at the Italian squad - one of the last remaining places on the 2025 grid.
It is understood that Pramac wants to pair Oliveira with an up-and-coming rider from the junior ranks, with MT Helmets - MSI's Sergio Garcia initially emerging as the prime candidate for the ride.
However, Marc VDS rider Arbolino has also come into play in recent weeks, despite the Italian going through a rough fourth season in Moto2.
After finishing runner-up to current Tech3 MotoGP rider Pedro Acosta in the 2023 title fight and scoring three wins, Arbolino has managed no higher than sixth this year and he currently sits outside the top 10 in the championship.
But the 23-year-old enjoys a good relationship with factory Yamaha rider Quartararo ever since he moved to Andorra, with the Frenchman endorsing him for the second seat at Pramac.
Although Quartararo doesn't have a direct say in the decision, he does exert some influence in the same way as Pramac's title sponsor Prima.
Asked for his opinion on Arbolino, who also finished second in the Moto3 standings in 2020 prior to his step up to the intermediate class, Quartararo said: "For me, he is ready - I'm not pushing because he is my friend.
"This year has not been easy for him. I don't know if the [new Pirelli] tyres or how they manage the work with him, but he has been one of the riders that have made more than 10 podiums in a row. For me he is ready and he just didn't show the results this year.
"But in my case it was exactly the same. I never won more than two races, I never made more than three podiums in Moto2 and straight away MotoGP I was ready.
"So for me he is ready. Now he is living really close to me and I know [how] hard he is working and I know he can be ready to step up for MotoGP."
Quartararo, who was hailed as the next star in his early career, did struggle in his two seasons in Moto2, scoring just one victory in Barcelona in 2018. However, he went on to finish fifth in his first season in the premier class with Petronas SRT.
Having top-quality riders at Pramac is important for the 2021 champion, as Yamaha adds Pramac to its stable and expands its MotoGP programme to four equal bikes.
The Japanese manufacturer concluded a deal with Alex Rins on the eve of this weekend's British Grand Prix, ensuring it heads to 2025 with the same line-up.
Asked about the importance of continuity at a time Yamaha is trying to rebuild itself, the 25-year-old said: "I think it's great. Alex has done a good job this year.
"The feedback that he has been doing is the same as me, even if the riding style is totally different.
"Also next year with two more bikes, also the testing, it will be nice. We are working in a really good way."
