Marco Bezzecchi
Fabio Quartararo is looking out for himself in MotoGP as his woes at Yamaha continue in 2026.
Since his title win in 2021 and his failed defence in 2022, the Frenchman has been unable to extract top performance from Yamaha’s machine. He has not won a MotoGP race since the German GP in 2022.
Quartararo has continued to overachieve on the bike, grabbing five pole positions in 2025. But he is losing patience with the Iwata outfit, as the new V4 engine is underdeveloped and lacking performance.
What have you made of Fabio Quartararo’s attitude at Yamaha this season?
Are you sympathetic, or do you feel he's showing a lack of respect?
So far, the 27-year-old has only finished as high as 14th in 2026, with Yamaha struggling to find answers to the issues with the bike. Quartararo’s concerns from six months ago have not been addressed, such as more grip and feeling from the front.
He has been Yamaha’s most vocal and harshest critic in recent months. He wants to be fighting at the front, but he cannot do it on their bike.
Fabio Quartararo is focused on himself amid Yamaha’s poor results
The Frenchman is no longer committed to Yamaha, having reportedly signed with Honda for 2027. Speaking with MotoGP’s official YouTube channel, Quartararo admits that he is looking out for himself now as he pushes to return to the front.
He said: “I’m getting older and I’m leaning into that side of my brain. I’m talking really about how I am living right now, that the results are not so great.
“You need to stay focused because it’s really easy to lose your way, the motivation, and, at the end, it’s something that you need to do for yourself.
Should Honda be worried about Fabio Quartararo’s mentality in MotoGP?
“Doesn’t matter if you are winning or not. When you’re winning, everything is easy. But when you are struggling, it’s there where really you are having tough, tough times.
“I have nothing to prove. If I’m here, it’s just because I want to be back for myself. I mean, I know my speed. I know what I achieve. I know what I want to achieve in the short future. When you taste the feeling of winning, you don’t want to lose it.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Fabio Quartararo from net worth to career stats
Fabio Quartararo’s scathing interviews will not sit well with Honda
Quartararo signed with Honda before riding Yamaha’s 2026 bike, highlighting just how little faith he had left in the project. The Frenchman has been openly criticising the Iwata outfit, and that has only gotten more brutal in 2026.
He has little motivation within the team, and has constantly hit out against Yamaha for not solving their issues with the bike.
Quartararo’s comments will not ‘go down well’ with Honda, so the 2021 MotoGP champion will need to tidy up his act before switching manufacturers in 2027.
Neil Hodgson has told Yamaha to stop Quartararo doing interviews, as it will certainly not help their situation the longer he continues to bash them publicly.
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