Marco Bezzecchi
Yamaha did not hold any media debriefs for their MotoGP riders after the Thailand Grand Prix, and one team member thinks that was for the best given the mood of Fabio Quartararo.
The two Yamaha teams combined for just three points in Buriram as the full-time riders raced with the new V4 engine for the first time. Quartararo, the highest finisher in 14th, crossed the line almost 30 seconds behind race-winner Marco Bezzecchi.
The 2021 world champion dragged last year’s M1 to five pole positions, but he couldn’t even reach Q2 here. His final year at the team – Quartararo is joining Honda in 2027 – promises to be acrimonious.
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Fabio Quartararo was ‘furious’ after the Thailand Grand Prix
Speaking to Motorsport Espana, one anonymous Yamaha source revealed that Quartararo was ‘furious’ after the race, so the cancellation of his debrief was for the best.
Had he spoken before calming down, he could have created a PR ‘mess’ for the Japanese manufacturer.
“Fabio finished the race furious,” the team member said. “It was better for the team that he didn’t say anything, because he could have made a big mess of things.”
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The only real positive for Yamaha is that all four bikes saw the chequered flag, though footage suggests Quartararo may have suffered an engine failure on his way back to the garage.
While ‘El Diablo’ and teammate Alex Rins have made their frustration plain, the Pramac duo have taken a different tone. Jack Miller is toeing the ‘corporate line’, though that may be a strategic move to try and secure a new contract.
Why did MotoGP bosses allow Yamaha to cancel their interviews?
Yamaha are contractually obliged to make their riders available to the media after sessions.
But as Motorsport ES explain, the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group (formerly known as Dorna) ‘accepted’ the request due to the ‘sensitive nature of the situation’. One suspects that it will have to be a one-off.
There are wild rumours that Yamaha could revert to their inline four engine for the rest of the year, apparently at the behest of Quartararo.
While that may improve their fortunes in the short term, it would also be a source of further embarrassment. The engines may be changing for 2027, but track time is still Yamaha’s best development asset.
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