Fabio Quartararo openly criticized Yamaha’s persistent difficulties in race performance following a challenging weekend at the Dutch MotoGP in Assen. The French rider highlighted how Yamaha’s lack of grip severely hampered his early race pace, affecting his ability to overtake slower competitors during the event.
Quartararo Details Struggles with Grip and Race Pace
Starting from pole position, Quartararo described the opening laps as a nightmare due to insufficient grip, comparing the sensation to riding in wet conditions. His race was further complicated when he had to slow down abruptly to avoid Fermin Aldeguer’s crash, which allowed slower riders to stay ahead. Despite gaining speed later in the race, Quartararo was unable to pass them and ultimately finished tenth, just behind Enea Bastianini’s KTM.
The first laps were a complete disaster for us. We have zero grip,
Quartararo explained.
Especially in the first laps, my bike looks like I’m riding on the wet. Sliding, I cannot follow, and it’s a bit frustrating.
Then in the second part of the race, I could go much, much faster – but I’m not able to overtake.
He acknowledged his own capabilities as a rider but expressed frustration with Yamaha’s competitiveness during races.
I know my potential as a rider and I know how fast I can go,
Quartararo said.
Realistically, we know that when we go into the race, we are not going to make great results. It’s difficult, because we cannot make an overtake.
Acceleration Problems from Slow Corners Worsen Race Outcomes
Quartararo pinpointed Yamaha’s poor acceleration out of slow corners as a key factor limiting their race performance. This issue compounds over longer straights where the bike struggles to maintain speed compared to competitors.
Basically, when we have to start from a really slow corner onto the straight, it’s really bad,
he remarked.
We have zero grip and we don’t really know how to use the power. So basically they [other riders] are exiting with – not no wheelie – but the correct amount of wheelie. They have a lot of power. We just have sliding, no power, wheelie.
So they pull away in first and second gears. And when they get to third, fourth, fifth, sixth, we miss a lot of horsepower.
Team Cohesion Remains Despite Ongoing Challenges
Despite regularly outperforming his Yamaha teammates, Quartararo emphasized a spirit of unity among Monster Yamaha and Pramac riders as they work collectively to improve the situation.
We are a team and we are all working together to try to find the best situation possible,
he said. Quartararo explained that qualifying remains a strong suit for him, where he can push the bike to its limits.
However, he also pointed out the limitations they face on race days with power delivery.
I mean, spinning in sixth gear before you arrive at a fast corner is not the best… We know we need much better things to go faster.
Recent Race Results Highlight Growing Frustration
Quartararo has secured four pole positions this season and achieved a podium finish with second place at Jerez, his first since 2023. Nevertheless, several setbacks have hindered his championship campaign, including a mechanical failure while leading Silverstone and disappointing finishes at Mugello and Assen. These results have dropped him to eleventh in the world championship standings.
His teammate, Alex Rins, is Yamaha’s next best rider, currently sitting 17th in the standings. Yamaha, which is developing a new V4 engine expected to debut in 2026, remains at the bottom of the MotoGP constructors’ rankings, underscoring the urgency to address their performance issues.
