Yamaha bosses will panic when they see Fabio Quartararo’s body language after V4 test at Misano

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Fabio Quartararo made his first public appearance with Yamaha’s V4 engine at Monday’s Misano test. His initial verdict, however, was not positive.

It wasn’t Quartararo’s first time riding the new bike. He’d already done so at a private test in Barcelona just over a week ago.

Augusto Fernandez debuted the V4 as a wildcard at the San Marino Grand Prix last weekend. Fernandez qualified 22nd but he was within half a second of the next-best Yamaha (Jack Miller), and he then beat the two LCR Honda riders to score a couple of points in the Grand Prix.

Fernandez finished just over a minute behind the winner Marc Marquez, underlining that the V4 prototype is still in its early stages. Quartararo had the new bike to himself on Monday, while Miller and Alex Rins shared the other motorcycle.

Fabio Quartararo had a ‘face like thunder’ after testing Yamaha V4 at Misano

“At the moment I don’t see any improvement in the area that we really need to make,” Quartararo said. “But like the team said, there is still margin, theoretically.”

David Emmett of MotoMatters calls his assessment ‘pretty damning’. Yamaha’s V4 bike was still a ‘donkey’ in July, but they were pleased with the progress they’d managed to make since.

According to Emmett, Quartararo’s ‘body language’ was even more concerning than his actions. He had a ‘face like thunder’.

• READ MORE: Augusto Fernandez pinpoints exactly where Yamaha’s new V4 engine struggled at Misano

Yamaha need to impress the 2021 world champion if they want him to renew his contract, which expires next year. He’s made clear that he’ll only stay if the Japanese manufacturer, currently bottom of the constructors’ standings, display contending potential.

Motorsport Magazine’s Mat Oxley suspects Yamaha will be ‘very, very worried’ if they haven’t made a step when Fernandez makes his next wildcard appearance in Malaysia. But Quartararo’s latest debrief will already have team bosses panicking.

Jack Miller disagrees with Fabio Quartararo about Yamaha’s V4 engine

Quartararo has once again shown this season that he’s Yamaha’s most important asset. He’s scored four pole positions and three podiums on the slowest machinery.

Given his capabilities, it’s natural that he will be the most demanding of the Yamaha riders. Indeed, Pramac rider Miller was more optimistic about the V4.

He says Yamaha are ‘in the ballpark’ of where they want to be at this stage, calling the design a ‘rough cut’. Quartararo’s statements have overshadowed what started as an exciting occasion, with the team holding a special launch ceremony prior to the weekend.

Toprak Razgatlioglu will test the V4 before the end of the season, benefiting from the earlier end to the World Superbikes schedule. Razgatlioglu will partner Miller at Pramac in 2026.