Marco Bezzecchi
Fabio Quartararo delivered Yamaha’s best result of the season at the French Grand Prix on Sunday, and now he owes the team an apology.
Quartararo qualified on the second row for the second time this year in front of his home crowd and converted it to an excellent P5 in the Sprint race.
There were roars from the crowd when El Diablo surged into second at the start of the Grand Prix. Predictably, he fell back as faster bikes came through, but he still held on to a top-six finish.
Fabio Quartararo said Yamaha had ‘no idea’ how to improve their bike – he was wrong
A 15-point haul makes this Quartararo’s most productive weekend since Portugal last year, when he picked up 16. He scored more points at Le Mans alone than he had in the opening four rounds, though he remains 16th in the championship.
Still, this was an encouraging result because it was achieved on pure pace and comes after a productive test in Jerez. In a recent interview, Quartararo said Yamaha had ‘no idea’ how to improve their bike, but they have proven him wrong.
Was the French Grand Prix the best race of the 2026 season so far?
Quartararo has been extremely negative about Yamaha this season, an attitude that has split opinion. He hasn’t won a Grand Prix for nearly four years, so perhaps his frustration is understandable.
But some have accused the 2021 world champion of showing a lack of respect for his current employers as he prepares to join Honda in 2027.
Massimo Meregalli explains the simulation problem that’s been holding Yamaha back
Speaking to TNT Sports after the race, Yamaha director Massimo Meregalli said the season was largely going according to expectations. The team had repeatedly warned that they would face a steep learning curve after switching from an inline four engine to a V4.
A top-six finish at round five out of 22 is a tangible sign of progress, particularly with the other three bikes also finishing in the points – a first for the season.
“If you remember, when we started the season, we said it was going to be a learning season for us, and it’s like that,” said Meregalli.
“We are discovering, learning how to set up the bike, even though we try to simulate the chassis based on the inline [four]. The numbers don’t always match!
“Everything for us is new. The more time we have to test without the racing weekends, the better it is.
“In Jerez, Fabio and Toprak [Razgatlioglu] had a good feeling with the different top wing.”
Quartararo finished second behind Jorge Martin in the championship’s official rider of the race poll, collecting 23% of the vote to the Aprilia rider’s 37%.
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