Fabio Quartararo: “Like a dog that hasn’t eaten in a month”

After eight seasons in MotoGP with Yamaha, Fabio Quartararo is waiting for the end of the 2026 championship to switch to Honda. The 27-year-old French rider has struggled to find a connection with the M1 in recent years, but he has not lost his hunger for victories. In Qatar, 'El Diablo' and his team will not be on track due to tensions in the Middle East between the USA, Israel and Iran.

It has been a season to forget for Quartararo, whose best result so far is a fifth place in Catalunya. Iwata's manufacturer may have focused too heavily on its next MotoGP prototype, with the new regulations coming into force in 2027. The gap to the other manufacturers is too large to waste time and energy on a bike that will undergo radical changes at the end of the season. "We haven't seen any development on the 2026 bike," the Nice-born rider told 'AS'. "I can understand it, since we're thinking about the future... But as a rider, it's incredibly frustrating to see us fighting for a position we're not happy with".

There has been a great deal of tension between Yamaha and the 2021 MotoGP champion in recent months. The situation was in danger of boiling over, with Fabio more than frustrated by the lack of results and his inability to connect with the bike. It was not easy to keep everything bottled up, and at times he let his anger out in the heat of the moment, even in front of the media. "Sometimes I spoke too much; there were tense moments. We reached an agreement between us, but it's true that you have to bite your tongue, because in the end you have to respect your team and your brand".

Yamaha's engineers have devoted a great deal of time to the 2027 prototype. As a result, there has been no development on the 2026 bike, making for some truly difficult moments for a rider of Quartararo's calibre. "Give up? I've thought about it, but knowing myself, it's difficult. People tell me: "Don't take unnecessary risks and try not to get injured, so you can get the tests and next year off to a good start." But I can't do that".

Fabio's last victory came at the 2022 German GP, and his last podium finish was in 2023. But he insists he has not lost confidence or belief in himself. "I'm hungrier than a dog that hasn't eaten for a month... I know that when I get the bike I deserve, it will be a little difficult to get back to the top, because you can't just climb back up like that. But I know we'll give it everything next year".

From next MotoGP season, he will be an HRC rider. The Golden Wing brand is going through a difficult period, yet 'El Diablo' believes he made the best decision for his future. "I chose Honda because it's the project I believed in most, and because I've seen things I've liked since December", Quartararo explained. Aprilia was the alternative, but he chose to sign with the Japanese giant...

-> Follow Corsedimoto on Instagram too