Few developments in 2025 and far from the mark with the V4, Fabio Quartararo is worried about Yamaha

Yamaha's weekend in Indonesia was generally more positive than the previous week's at the Motegi circuit in Japan. While the latter was not very suited to the characteristics of the M1, the riders more or less found their feet at Mandalika, a track with high grip, fast corners, where the straights are not long, which does not require high top speed.

There were some nice surprises. The first was when three machines from the Iwata factory qualified for Q2 on Friday. The second was when Alex Rins, for ten laps, battled for the podium with Pedro Acosta and Alex Marquez. fabio quartararo, more cautious in managing its tires, finally finished as the best Yamaha, in seventh position, just two seconds off the podium.

While there is reason to be enthusiastic about the Blues' weekend, the Frenchman is keen to point out the reality of the situation at Yamaha. "As a team manager, you have to speak in a positive way. I speak more in a realistic way, begins the Frenchman in his post-race debriefing. Where we've improved enormously over one lap, we're far behind in race pace. We haven't improved. Except that last year, I wasn't scoring points because I was starting 17th, 18th. Now, I'm starting 1st, 3rd, 5th. And that's what makes the big difference, is that last year, the pace was pretty good, except that we were starting 18th."

Not enough change at Yamaha

Looking back on the major stages of this 2025 season, the Tricolore regrets having had few conclusive improvements on his machine. “The biggest step we made on 2025 was the test we did in Barcelona in 2024. We tried a new chassis that gave us a bit of direction. But then, this season, we didn't really make any big steps. We changed the aero a little bit, we changed the engine twice, but we can see our top speed is still very low. But the biggest step we made, I think, was in Barcelona, ​​where we found a little more feeling on corner entry.” Something that will not improve by the end of the year. "No, nothing new."

And if we can say that 2026, and the famous V4 that Yamaha has been working on behind the scenes for years, will change things for the better. A little over a month after his first test of this power unit, in Barcelona in a private test, then in Misano, Fabio Quartararo is still not excited about the idea of ​​using this package full time. “Potentially, the 2026 project will be the V4. But the potential of the V4 is still a long way off, for me, from the inline 4. We know that the project has only just begun, and that there is still a lot of work to be done. But for now, the potential of our bike is higher than that of the V4.

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A competitive motorcycle in Sepang

Of course, the Frenchman's future is at stake here. The 2021 world champion no longer wants to waste the best years of his career racing for a brand that doesn't provide him with a bike capable of fighting for the title, or even just podiums. And this, with all the gratitude he has for Yamaha, where he experienced the best moments of his career. An ultimatum has therefore been set for the 2026 winter tests.

“I want to have the most competitive bike possible for the Malaysian tests, announces Fabio Quartararo. The Thailand tests, we know that it's a bit like the moment when we'll have our definitive bike. There's no time to really bring things back, from the tests to the race. So there you go, they're the ones who really have to manage to bring back the best possible bike for the tests. Right now, the equipment we have, it's sure that it doesn't give us the chance at all to fight for even a top-5 in the championship. That's what we have to work on. That's why I canreally push the engineers to have a better bike for next year."

©Yamaha MotoGP

What about the atmosphere between Quartararo and the engineers?

While the atmosphere at Yamaha is still good between Fabio Quartararo and his mechanics, whose role is to fine-tune the current bike as best as possible, the Frenchman makes no secret of the fact that some tension is brewing between him and the development engineers. His criticism of the project is irritating.

“My team, they’re doing their best. My mechanics, they’re working really well. My engineer, my chief mechanic, they’re doing their best to give me the best possible feeling. But they’re not the ones who have to develop the bike. They’re not the ones who have to come out with a new engine. They’re not the ones who have to deliver the performance. So the atmosphere is good. Then, with certain people, it’s definitely a little more tense. But I know who I have to spend the most time with in the box. And the atmosphere is good.” concludes Fabio Quartararo.

The paddock now heads to Philip Island to contest the Australian Grand Prix. A few days ago, the #20 recalled the electronics problems Yamaha has encountered at the venue in recent years. Problems that—if no solution is found—risk revealing the M1's weaknesses once again. However, this Sunday, he assures us that if the tires are working properly, Yamaha can be very fast there. Reason for optimism. So, the answer will be in two weeks.

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