Fabio Quartararo has confirmed that his future plans in MotoGP are settled, which has provided him mental clarity amid ongoing difficulties with Yamaha’s new V4 bike. The former world champion is anticipated to move to Honda as the sport transitions to the 850cc era, but he has decided not to comment further on his career direction for now.
Quartararo’s focus is currently on overcoming Yamaha’s lack of development progress since he first tested the V4 machine last autumn, a concern he intends to tackle at the season opener in Thailand this weekend.
Performance Plateau Evident Since Initial V4 Testing
Reflecting on the test in Barcelona last September, Quartararo expressed frustration that the feel of the Yamaha V4 remains largely unchanged even months later. He explained,
“In September, when we tried the bike in Barcelona, the feeling was not super good. That is normal, because the project was brand new, but the feeling [now] is really similar compared to September,”
as reported by Speedweek.com.
He added,
“So of course we expected to make a much bigger step, but… we started much slower than last year [on the Inline M1].”
Test Comparisons Highlight Race Pace Deficit
Despite Yamaha’s lap times at the Buriram MotoGP tests in 2025 and 2026 being nearly identical, Quartararo estimates that the new V4 falls short by approximately seven to eight tenths of a second per lap in race conditions compared to the former Inline M1 model.
He expanded on the technical challenges faced, stating,
“We know exactly what we miss, and you cannot imagine how many settings, how many things we tried during Sepang, during here [at Buriram], and the feeling was the same,”
highlighting the exhaustive efforts to improve.
Quartararo said,
“So I think it’s more about the engineers finding a new piece, something completely different, because we still don’t have a base on our bike, at least in my riding style.”
He reiterated the gap in speed by mentioning,
“Compared to last year’s test, the race simulation was seven-eighth tenths slower, so this is why I think we need to increase our improvements.”
Multiple Areas in Need of Improvement on the Yamaha V4
The rider emphasized the complexity of issues, explaining,
Image of: Fabio Quartararo
“We need to improve not only the top speed, we also need to improve turning, the feeling on the front, and electronics. There are many things.”
At the Buriram test, Quartararo ranked 17th in outright lap times, trailing Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi by just over a second and lagging 0.029 seconds behind the fastest Yamaha V4 lap set by Pramac rider Jack Miller.
Last season, Miller secured the top Yamaha qualifying spot in Thailand, finishing fourth, while Quartararo was the best Yamaha M1 rider in seventhplace during the Sprint race. Miller then completed the grand prix in eleventh position.
Season Kickoff Looms with Thai GP Free Practice
With free practice sessions for the 2026 Thai MotoGP starting on Friday morning, Quartararo and the Yamaha team face critical testing to find performance gains. Given the challenges facing Yamaha’s new machinery, this season marks a pivotal moment not only for Quartararo’s career but also for the manufacturer’s competitiveness in the upcoming 850cc era.
