Yamaha from the podium to collapse, Fabio Quartararo vents: 'I'm not stupid'

Negative Spanish GP for Yamaha, which wasn’t able to defend itself even on a track that could have been “friendly”: Quartararo reiterated what the technical situation is.

In 2025 pole position and podium in the race, in 2026 everything has changed for Fabio Quartararo and Yamaha at Jerez. Starting from the seventeenth spot on the MotoGP grid, in the flag-to-flag sprint race he grabbed seventh place, and on Sunday in the dry he went no further than fourteenth. He was the only rider from the Iwata factory to score points over the Spanish Grand Prix weekend. The V4-powered M1 remains a very immature project with unknown potential. The test day scheduled for today can help make some progress, but expectations aren’t very high.

The 2021 MotoGP champion is not surprised by how things went at Jerez; he had no reason to think the outcome would be different: "There isn’t much to say about this weekend. I tried to ride differently, with a different style, but nothing changed. Personally, I know very well what we need, but knowing it is one thing and actually achieving it is quite another. We tried almost everything we were supposed to test in free practice, namely the frame and the wings. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice any significant improvement, so I don’t expect anything for Monday".

Quartararo took the opportunity to reiterate that with the 2026 Yamaha M1 he is completely disarmed; there is no aspect that can help him be competitive at any point: "I struggled with grip and power. Unfortunately there isn’t a single area where we’re strong and where I can say I feel comfortable. I don’t feel comfortable on the brakes, on corner entry, mid-corner, on acceleration, or on braking." Basically, nothing is working.

The French rider knows he isn’t the problem and hasn’t lost his talent; everything depends on the bike’s lack of competitiveness: "There are many areas where we have issues and we struggle. Even if we fix one, another pops up. Personally I’m not stupid, I know how to ride and how much we’re losing; in fact, it’s plain for everyone to see. A year ago I was on the podium; today, I’m 30 seconds back."

Asked about today’s test, Quartararo did not seem particularly confident: "We don’t have a new engine to try, but top speed is the least of our problems, especially on a track like this. I’d just like to rediscover the love for riding and have fun on the bike."

The situation is truly complicated for him and the other Yamaha riders, who are unable to show their real potential due to an M1 that is too far behind in every respect. The frustration in the box is great and likely makes the work more difficult as well.

The original article with the interview in Spanish on Motosan.es