Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo explains what ‘made the show worse’ at the Thai Grand Prix

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MotoGP’s season-opener in Thailand was a challenge for all the riders as temperatures neared the 40-degree centigrade mark.

Despite the searing conditions, the Grand Prix of Thailand did not become the first race since 2023 to be shortened and went the whole 24 laps.

Marc Marquez won the first sprint of the MotoGP season and the main race in dominant fashion, followed home by his brother Alex, and teammate Francesco Bagnaia on both occasions.

Yamaha’s pre-season promise didn’t quite translate onto the track, with Jack Miller their highest-placed rider in 11th on a day where main rivals Honda managed seventh with Johann Zarco.

Fabio Quartararo ended up 15th at the chequered flag, behind both satellite Pramac riders and right in the thick of the midfield battle.

Yamaha are convinced their V4 engine isn’t ready but they may be hoping that it arrives a bit sooner after the first race of 2025.

Quartararo was hindered by ‘destroyed’ front tyres in Buriram and will be hoping that the upcoming Argentina Grand Prix is a little kinder to his bike.

Fabio Quartararo complains that riders were on the ‘limit’ in MotoGP’s Thailand opener

Mat Oxley feared a shortened Thailand Grand Prix as a result of the extreme weather conditions before the start of the weekend.

The intense slate of pre-season testing at Sepang and Buriram, also in very warm conditions, prepared the drivers well for the first race.

But that doesn’t mean that the event didn’t come without struggles. Quartararo admitted that the show may have been worse with a shorter race, but it may have been for the better.

READ MORE: The eight-figure pay cut Fabio Quartararo was facing if he left Yamaha for Ducati satellite team

The Frenchman told GPOne that he and his colleagues were on the ‘limit’, and that MotoGP may want to reconsider the time of year it visits Thailand.

“You don’t often encounter such heat, maybe a few less laps would have made the show worse, but for us riders they were the limit,” he said.

“I honestly don’t know if we will be back here in 2026 at this time of year. In testing it was 4-5 degrees cooler and it was better.”

How Fabio Quartararo was left in ‘disbelief’ at Yamaha after MotoGP testing

The first test of the 2025 season took teams to Malaysia’s Sepang circuit in February, where reigning champion Jorge Martin suffered an accident requiring surgery.

He may be out for an extended period, but his incident wasn’t the only thing grabbing headlines in Asia either.

READ MORE: Why Fabio Quartararo is facing ‘one of the most difficult’ issues with Yamaha MotoGP bike

Quartararo was left in ‘disbelief’ at Yamaha after managing to finish inside the top three on all three days of running.

The second test at Buriram brought along more struggles, but it was still a remarkable performance and showed signs of a turnaround for the Japanese manufacturer.