“We are useless” – Quartararo publicly criticized Yamaha after Assen for the bike’s grip

Fabio Quartararo, the 2021 MotoGP World Champion, unleashed his raw frustration after a disappointing Dutch Grand Prix at Assen, where despite starting from pole position, he could only finish 10th. The sentiment was particularly sour, given the special 70th anniversary celebration Yamaha had prepared — a race weekend that was supposed to honor its legacy turned into yet another painful reminder of the M1’s ongoing shortcomings.

Yamaha’s Special Celebration Ends in Frustration

Assen should have been the crowning jewel of Yamaha’s celebratory weekend. The iconic manufacturer rolled out a commemorative livery on all four of its M1s to honor its 70 years of racing. The atmosphere was electric. The goal was clear: deliver a performance worthy of the blue brand’s rich history.

But reality struck like a slap in the face. Not a single Yamaha finished near the podium, and Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha’s biggest hope, was left dejected and defeated.

“We’re still struggling in the first few laps with grip, where we’re… pff we’re rubbish,” Quartararo told Canal+, visibly annoyed and disheartened.

From Pole to Purgatory: Quartararo’s Race Unravels Early

Quartararo’s pole position raised eyebrows and expectations. Was Yamaha finally turning a corner? For a fleeting moment, hope blossomed. But as the lights went out, the stark reality returned: lack of early grip remains Yamaha’s Achilles’ heel.

By the end of the first lap, Quartararo had already dropped to fifth. Then came lap five — a scary crash involving Fermín Aldeguer and Joan Mir forced the Frenchman wide, dropping him back even further to eighth.

“I had to widen to avoid the crash. That moment alone cost me crucial time and positions,” Quartararo explained.

Despite the chaos, he clawed his way forward — a testament to his resilience. But overtaking remained an uphill battle.

“I got stuck behind a group of riders. I think my pace was three or four tenths faster, but it’s still just as difficult to overtake.”

A Pattern That’s Becoming All Too Familiar

For Quartararo and Yamaha, this wasn’t just a bad race — it was a recurring nightmare. The grip issues at the start have plagued them throughout the 2025 season. When the track gains grip, Quartararo comes alive. But by then, it’s always too late.

The 2025 Yamaha M1 seems allergic to low-grip conditions, and on a grid that thrives in the opening laps, that’s a fatal flaw.

“When the track starts to have grip, our pace is much better. That’s where we really need to improve.”

This technical struggle has persisted for multiple seasons, and while Yamaha has acknowledged the issue, no lasting solution has emerged. Riders have come and gone, engineers have tweaked and tested, but the lack of consistency in grip performance remains the team’s curse.

Quartararo’s Mounting Pressure on Yamaha

This isn’t the first time Fabio Quartararo has publicly voiced his displeasure. But the tone at Assen was sharper, more hopeless — as if the 70th anniversary disappointment had broken something in him.

After crashing in Saturday’s sprint race, and now this frustrating main event, Quartararo’s weekend could hardly have gone worse. Once seen as the savior of Yamaha, he now seems like a prisoner of its failings.

His comments post-race weren’t just about Assen — they echoed a deeper malaise, a growing chasm between rider and machine.

“We’re rubbish” — it’s not just frustration. It’s a cry for change.

Is Yamaha Losing Quartararo’s Faith?

Yamaha’s future with Quartararo hangs in the balance. Although the Frenchman re-signed through 2026, murmurs of discontent have grown louder. With manufacturers like Aprilia and KTM improving, and with Ducati’s dominance, Quartararo’s patience may be wearing thin.

His decision to stay was partly driven by hope: that Yamaha would provide a winning bike. But weekends like Assen chip away at that trust.

And if Yamaha can’t solve the grip problem, one has to wonder — how long until Quartararo starts looking elsewhere again?

The Technical Puzzle: Why Is Yamaha Struggling With Grip?

The Yamaha M1’s handling has long been praised for its corner speed, but that advantage means little without rear grip. According to team sources and paddock engineers, the problem is multi-faceted:

• Engine power remains down compared to Ducati and KTM, meaning Quartararo can’t fight back on the straights.

• The M1 struggles to get heat into the rear tire early, leading to a lack of initial grip.

• Chassis feedback and the bike’s narrow setup window also compound the issue when conditions change.

These technical challenges create a scenario where Yamaha is only competitive under perfect track conditions, something increasingly rare in today’s ever-changing race environments.

Yamaha’s Anniversary Turns Sour

What should have been a day to celebrate seven decades of racing excellence turned into an all-too-familiar story of missed opportunity. The commemorative livery, the history, the legacy — all of it overshadowed by another frustrating performance.

For Quartararo, the symbolism was painful.

There he was — starting from pole, wearing the badge of history on his chest — only to be let down once more by the bike beneath him.

What’s Next for Quartararo and Yamaha?

As the MotoGP calendar moves on, the pressure on Yamaha’s engineers to deliver a breakthrough mounts. Quartararo is giving everything — pole positions, comebacks, even emotional investment in a project that keeps letting him down.

But how much more can he give?

Until the M1 becomes a weapon that works in all phases of the race, especially the crucial opening laps, Yamaha’s prospects for podiums and titles remain bleak.

And if Quartararo continues to feel “useless” in the early stages, the manufacturer risks losing not just races — but the rider they built their future around.

Final Thoughts

The takeaway from Assen isn’t just a missed opportunity — it’s a warning sign. Yamaha’s problems are no longer isolated. They are systemic, and Fabio Quartararo’s patience is wearing thin.

When a world-class rider says, “We’re rubbish,” the world listens. Now it’s up to Yamaha to prove him wrong — before it’s too late.