Fabio Quartararo: the whole truth about the split with Yamaha

The MotoGP rider market has delivered major shocks, such as Fabio Quartararo’s move to Honda. The French rider, now in his eighth and final season with Yamaha, has broken his silence on the decision to part ways with the Iwata manufacturer—and on the reasons that led him to accept a project that, on paper, carries many risks.

The 2021 world champion admits he isn’t enjoying racing at the moment. After all, his last win on the M1 dates back to the 2022 German GP, a season he finished second, behind Pecco Bagnaia. Since then, Fabio Quartararo has struggled to find his way back to the podium. The last noteworthy result is second place at Jerez in 2025, but it remains an isolated case. "To be honest, I’m not having much fun," he admitted to Crash.net. "I’m a very competitive person and, even if I give my all, I don’t like seeing myself get passed, and I know I could be faster over a lap."

Yamaha has switched from an inline-four to a V4 engine, but the epochal change for the Japanese brand has been quite traumatic. Even as the marque’s reference rider, the results are far from what he expected when he decided to renew his contract. "This year I haven’t overtaken anyone and I haven’t held my position. That’s why I’m not enjoying myself right now," continued the Nice-born rider.

The decision to sign with HRC came at the end of last year. "During last year’s Valencia test I felt the need for something new. That’s when we decided to leave Yamaha. I didn’t yet know exactly which team I would go to, but I knew I wanted a change," confessed ‘El Diablo’. "When you start a new project (V4 engine, ed.), you usually make big steps at the beginning, but we never did. We still have a package very similar to the first bike I tried."

During the interview, Quartararo also revealed a previously unknown negotiation. "To be honest, in 2022 we had very serious talks with Suzuki." That opportunity vanished when the Japanese manufacturer withdrew from MotoGP. Now he has opted for Honda, with all the risks that choice entails. "With the new regulations and the new bike, it’s a gamble, but I saw things that made me want to be part of this project. It’s not the same situation. There are many things, on and off the track, that I see differently."

Quartararo believes Yamaha and Honda have made the same mistake for years compared to Ducati, Aprilia, and KTM. "The European manufacturers have been much quicker to make decisions and take risks. At Yamaha we didn’t take enough risks in developing the bike and we were always too slow." There are still ten Grands Prix to go before the end of this MotoGP season. But Fabio’s mind is already on the future. "I can’t wait to start this new project and rediscover the joy of riding."

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