Progress But Not Enough: Fabio Quartararo Still Not Satisfied with Yamaha!

Fabio Quartararo, the 2021 MotoGP world champion, has never been one to sugarcoat the reality of Yamaha’s situation. As the 2025 season enters its midpoint, Quartararo has spoken out about the modest progress made by Yamaha, but insists that the factory squad is still well behind the leading manufacturers — and must keep pushing if they hope to return to the top.

After years of riding a machine that lacked top speed and struggled under braking, Quartararo has begun to see signs of life from the Yamaha YZR-M1. But for the Frenchman, the glass is only half full.

“We’re doing better than before,” he admitted. “But we’re still far from where we need to be. There’s progress, but not enough.”

This brutally honest assessment comes just days after Quartararo suffered a dislocated shoulder during practice at Mugello — an incident that didn’t stop him from returning to the track and finishing inside the top five. It’s clear that both rider and team are fighting, but according to Quartararo, there’s still a long road ahead.

From Champion to Challenger: Quartararo’s Frustrating Journey

Since claiming the 2021 MotoGP title, Quartararo has endured a rollercoaster journey with Yamaha. Initially hailed as the next dominant force, the combination of Quartararo’s precise riding style and Yamaha’s agile chassis seemed like a winning formula.

But as rivals like Ducati, KTM, and Aprilia accelerated their development, Yamaha began to stagnate. The M1’s top-end speed became a glaring weakness, and over the past two seasons, Quartararo has often found himself battling for top tens — not wins.

Despite his elite talent and tireless work ethic, Quartararo’s title hopes in 2023 and 2024 faded early. Now, in 2025, he sees signs of hope — but refuses to let optimism cloud the harsh truth.

“We have to be realistic. We’re still missing in a few areas — especially acceleration and braking stability,” he said.

Signs of Life: Recent Improvements from Yamaha

The 2025 season has brought some improvements to Yamaha’s package. The new engine, jointly developed with Japanese and European engineers, has narrowed the horsepower gap to Ducati. Aerodynamic updates — including the much-discussed rear wings and downwash ducts — have also helped improve corner exit grip and high-speed stability.

Quartararo has acknowledged these changes positively.

“The engine is a little better this year, and the bike feels more stable under hard braking,” he said. “In some corners, we can finally fight. But it’s not consistent enough across the whole lap.”

One of the biggest steps forward came during the post-race test in Aragon, where Quartararo reportedly worked through a revised chassis and new ride-height device settings that improved mid-corner turning and exit drive.

Still, even with these gains, Yamaha remains a step behind in race pace — especially in hot conditions and when managing tire degradation.

The Dislocated Shoulder: A Testament to Quartararo’s Determination

At the Italian Grand Prix, Quartararo gave fans yet another reason to admire his resilience. Just ten minutes into the first practice session, the Frenchman crashed hard at Turn 4, landing awkwardly on his left shoulder, which was dislocated on impact.

Despite the pain, Quartararo insisted on returning to the garage, had the shoulder popped back into place, and resumed the session after taking an anti-inflammatory. His determination was rewarded with a top-five result that secured direct entry to Q2.

“In the crash, Fabio dislocated his left shoulder — something that has happened before. He popped it back into place himself,” said MotoGP medical director Angel Charte.

Quartararo’s toughness was on full display — but so was his deep desire to continue developing Yamaha’s bike, no matter the personal cost.

Yamaha’s Rebuild: New Structure, New Challenges

One of the underlying themes of Quartararo’s comments is that Yamaha is evolving — but not fast enough.

The manufacturer has made several internal changes, including more collaboration with European engineers and increased use of simulation tools and rider feedback in chassis development. The influence of former Formula 1 engineers is now evident in some of Yamaha’s more aggressive aerodynamic upgrades.

However, the shift from a traditionally conservative development model to a more dynamic, aggressive approach is still a work in progress.

“I think the mentality is changing, which is great,” Quartararo said. “But now we need to deliver, not just promise.”

The Frenchman has been vocal for years about the need for Yamaha to adopt a more aggressive innovation strategy, similar to what Ducati did in the late 2010s. Now that the structure is beginning to align, the rider’s patience is clearly wearing thin.

Where Yamaha Still Falls Short: Acceleration, Grip, and Electronics

Despite progress, Yamaha still faces critical weaknesses, particularly in three key areas:

1. Acceleration: The M1 continues to struggle when accelerating from slow corners, especially compared to KTM and Ducati.

2. Rear Grip: Even with setup improvements, Yamaha often loses traction earlier than its competitors in long-run simulations.

3. Electronics: The bike’s traction control system is still viewed as less refined than Ducati’s, affecting consistency under throttle.

Quartararo has expressed frustration with how these areas often undo good work in other sectors of the lap.

“Even if we’re good in fast corners, we lose too much in the slow ones,” he said. “When you lose time every time you open the gas, it’s hard to fight.”

Why Quartararo’s Patience — and Loyalty — Are Being Tested

There’s a growing sense that Quartararo’s future at Yamaha depends on what happens in the next six months. While the Frenchman has remained loyal — even signing a contract extension at the end of 2023 — his words now reflect a man who wants proof, not promises.

“I’m here to win, not just to finish fifth or sixth,” he said. “I trust Yamaha, but time is limited.”

The signing of Toprak Razgatlioglu for 2026 also adds pressure. While Toprak is set to join the MotoGP project, possibly in a different role or team structure, the development focus may start to shift — especially if Yamaha sees Quartararo beginning to look elsewhere.

Quartararo has previously been linked to KTM and even Ducati in the past, though those doors appear closed for now. Still, if Yamaha cannot close the gap, the 2026 rider market could become very interesting.

What’s Next: Pivotal Races Ahead

With key races coming up — including Assen, Sachsenring, and Silverstone — Yamaha has a short window to show real gains. Quartararo is demanding results, not just development plans, and these races will be critical in determining how the remainder of the 2025 season plays out.

At each track, Yamaha must demonstrate:

• Improved acceleration in stop-start sectors

• Stronger tire conservation over race distance

• Top-ten qualifying consistency

• Progress in race pace, not just one-lap speed

If these boxes aren’t ticked, it’s likely Quartararo will intensify public pressure, or even begin exploring external options — despite his deep connection to the Yamaha brand.

Conclusion: Progress Made, But the Mountain Remains Steep

Fabio Quartararo’s latest comments paint a picture of a champion who sees flickers of hope — but not yet a fire. Yamaha has made strides in engine power, stability, and aerodynamics, but according to its lead rider, the team is still several steps behind the best.

In a sport as fiercely competitive as MotoGP, “almost there” is never enough. And while Quartararo remains committed to pushing Yamaha forward, his patience and championship window won’t stay open forever.

With his talent unquestioned and his desire to win as strong as ever, the clock is now ticking — for Yamaha to either deliver a race-winning bike or risk losing the rider who could have led them back to glory.