Quartararo Struggles With Unstable Yamaha, Suffers Severe Physical Toll

The 2025 MotoGP San Marino Grand Prix was a rollercoaster for Fabio Quartararo, who once again found himself battling against the unpredictable nature of his Yamaha M1. Despite starting from the front row of the grid in Misano after a strong qualifying performance, the Frenchman endured a punishing race that left him physically drained and unable to fight at the front. His struggles underline the ongoing challenges for Yamaha in adapting to the increasingly demanding MotoGP landscape, where rider endurance and machine stability go hand in hand.

A Bright Start Overshadowed by Pain

Quartararo’s weekend initially carried a wave of optimism. On Saturday morning, he delivered a strong lap in qualifying to secure third place on the grid, putting him on the front row alongside MotoGP’s frontrunners. This gave him a prime opportunity to fight for the podium and possibly secure his best result of the season.

In Sunday’s race, Quartararo made a promising start, quickly slotting himself into fourth position. For much of the opening half of the race, he was holding firm, even after briefly losing out to Pedro Acosta on lap six. However, when Acosta’s KTM succumbed to a mechanical problem, Quartararo regained track position. At this stage, the Frenchman looked capable of staying in the top five.

But as the laps wore on, the physical demands of his Yamaha M1 began to take their toll. From around the midway point, Quartararo’s pace dropped significantly, and he began slipping down the order. By the closing laps, he was fighting simply to hold position and limit the damage. He ultimately crossed the finish line in eighth place, a result that felt far more disappointing than encouraging.

The Physical Toll of the Yamaha

After the race, Quartararo explained that his decline in performance was not only a matter of tire wear but also due to the severe physical strain caused by his Yamaha’s behavior.

“There was little grip in the first laps, but the tires were fresher,” he explained. “Unfortunately, we didn’t expect the tires to wear so much. It’s strange because I was convinced that the medium tire would hold up well. So, for my safety, I preferred not to push too hard after a certain point. I had already said this morning that it would be difficult to finish the race in good shape and, in fact, after a few laps I started to feel pain.”

The Frenchman revealed that his arms were in pain for much of the race due to how physically demanding the M1 has become to control. Unlike some of its rivals, Yamaha continues to face problems in stability, electronics, and grip, meaning Quartararo must manually compensate with greater precision on the throttle and body positioning.

“It’s been a while since it happened and today it happened again,” Quartararo admitted. “I simply didn’t have the pace to fight with the best and I also had a lot of trouble staying with the leaders. The bike is very physical, my arms hurt. Given the characteristics we have in terms of electronics and grip in certain areas, I have to control more things and be more precise with the throttle.”

The Tire Gamble Gone Wrong

The decision to run the medium rear tire also contributed to Quartararo’s troubles. The Frenchman and his team believed the compound would provide enough durability to last the race, but the tire degradation was much higher than expected. As a result, grip fell away much sooner than planned, forcing Quartararo to ease off to avoid a potential crash.

Yamaha has long struggled with tire management compared to Ducati and Aprilia, and at Misano, the weakness was once again evident. While Quartararo managed the situation as best as he could, he was never in a position to match the pace of the frontrunners.

Comparisons With Miguel Oliveira’s Approach

One of the stark contrasts from Misano came in comparing Quartararo’s race to that of his fellow Yamaha rider, Miguel Oliveira, who races for the Pramac Yamaha satellite team. Oliveira adopted a more conservative start, focusing on consistency rather than outright aggression. That approach turned out to be more effective, as he suffered less physically and maintained a stronger rhythm in the later stages of the race.

Quartararo acknowledged this difference, pointing out that while he fought hard early on, the physical demands of his bike forced him into survival mode. Oliveira’s smoother, measured approach highlighted the importance of strategy when dealing with the Yamaha’s limitations.

Quartararo’s Ongoing Battle With Yamaha

The San Marino race is the latest in a series of frustrating outings for Quartararo, who has often spoken about the unpredictable nature of Yamaha’s M1 in recent years. Once known for its smooth handling and cornering prowess, the bike has fallen behind its competitors in terms of raw speed, electronics, and stability.

Quartararo, a MotoGP world champion in 2021, has since been forced to ride at the very edge to keep pace with rivals, which often leaves him exposed to greater physical strain. His arms, shoulders, and overall stamina are tested more than most, and Misano provided yet another example of how much energy he must exert simply to stay competitive.

Safety Concerns on the Rise

Perhaps the most concerning aspect of Quartararo’s comments is that he mentioned his bike was becoming “dangerous” at times due to the physical demands and lack of grip. A rider being forced to ease off for safety reasons is a serious red flag for Yamaha, which must address these issues if it wants to retain Quartararo’s trust and confidence.

MotoGP is already one of the most physically intense sports in the world, but when a machine’s flaws add unnecessary strain and risk, the line between competitiveness and danger becomes blurred. Quartararo’s body language and tone after Misano suggested frustration mixed with concern, not just for results but for his long-term health and safety.

What This Means for Yamaha’s Future

For Yamaha, the Misano Grand Prix was yet another wake-up call. Despite progress in some areas, the M1 still lacks the balance and consistency required to fight for wins regularly. Quartararo’s physical struggles point to deeper engineering issues that cannot simply be solved by setup tweaks or rider adaptation.

The factory must prioritize improvements in electronics, tire management, and stability if it hopes to compete with Ducati, KTM, and Aprilia in 2026 and beyond. With Quartararo already carrying much of the workload on his shoulders, Yamaha risks losing its star rider’s patience if progress remains slow.

Conclusion

The San Marino Grand Prix was supposed to be a chance for Fabio Quartararo to capitalize on a strong qualifying result and show that Yamaha was making strides forward. Instead, it became a harsh reminder of the physical toll the M1 is taking on its rider. Despite his resilience and determination to finish in the top ten, Quartararo was left in visible discomfort, frustrated by both the bike’s limitations and the pain it inflicted.

For fans, it was difficult to watch one of MotoGP’s most talented riders forced into damage control due to circumstances outside his control. For Yamaha, the message is clear: unless significant improvements are made, the gap to the leaders will only widen, and Quartararo’s future with the team may come into question.

As the season winds down, Quartararo’s focus will be on recovering physically, surviving the remaining races, and pushing Yamaha to deliver the upgrades he so desperately needs. If the factory can respond, he still has the talent to fight for victories. But if not, the 2025 season could be remembered as the year when one of MotoGP’s brightest stars was held back not by rivals, but by his own machine.