Yamaha criticizes Fabio Quartararo’s lack of objectivity

– Yamaha has responded strongly to the recent statements by Fabio Quartararo. After the Frenchman questioned his motivation and announced that he would no longer support Yamaha in developing the motorcycle for the 2027 season, the manufacturer’s leadership has now issued clear words.

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Massimo Meregalli, director of the Yamaha factory team, makes it clear in particular that Quartararo must work professionally until the end of their collaboration despite his upcoming departure from the team. As an example, he cites Pramac rider Jack Miller, who will also leave Yamaha.

“Fabio should take a leaf out of Jack’s book. He always gives his all and ensures that even in difficult times the mood in the team remains good,” he told L’Equipe.

For Yamaha, the message is clear: The fact that Quartararo will leave the manufacturer after the current MotoGP season should not be a reason for the team to slack off in cooperation or effort.

Yamaha rejects accusation of discrimination

The dispute was triggered, among other things, by a planned test in Austria. Important insights for the development of future Pirelli tires are to be gathered there. However, Quartararo will not participate.

Meregalli clarifies that Yamaha is not deliberately treating the Frenchman worse than other riders who will leave their respective manufacturers at the end of the season.

“We will use Razgatlioglu and most likely Guevara in the test in Austria because they will be with us next year,” explains the Yamaha team director. Toprak Razgatlioglu and Izan Guevara, who will move up to MotoGP, will form the rider lineup in the Pramac team in 2027.

Photo gallery: The career highlights of Fabio Quartararo

According to Yamaha’s statement, this follows an industry-wide approach and not a special decision against Quartararo: “All manufacturers [who are parting ways with their riders] have made this decision. Martin and Ogura will not test the Aprilia, Bagnaia will not test the Ducati, Acosta will not test the KTM, and Miller will also not be allowed to test our 800cc bike.”

For Yamaha, this explains why Quartararo is excluded from this test: The manufacturer wants to advance development work for the future with the riders who will actually be part of the respective project.

Paolo Pavesio criticizes Quartararo’s objectivity

Not only Meregalli, but also Paolo Pavesio, head of Yamaha’s MotoGP program, reacts critically to the Frenchman’s statements. He is particularly bothered by Quartararo’s claim that Yamaha is not developing the motorcycle sufficiently.

“Fabio regularly complains that we are not developing the motorcycle, and when we ask him to test new parts, he criticizes us for it and says that he loses his orientation because of it,” Pavesio explained his view to L’Equipe. The Yamaha manager accuses his rider of lacking objectivity.

“He lacks a bit of objectivity. Of course, we are not at the level we would like to be. But like our competitors, we are trying to move forward.” Yamaha thus acknowledges that the M1 is not yet where it should be. At the same time, the manufacturer rejects the impression that the development work is not being pushed forward with sufficient effort.

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Quartararo: “No longer willing to help”

Quartararo himself triggered the current dispute with unusually clear statements. Already at the beginning of the Aragon weekend, the Frenchman complained that he increasingly felt like a test rider at Yamaha. In his view, new components did not bring the hoped-for progress.

Quartararo was particularly clear on the topic of the upcoming test in Austria. “I don’t know if I am allowed to say this, but I will say it anyway: I wanted to participate in the tests in Austria. But unfortunately, Yamaha does not want me to ride with the Pirelli tires,” explained the Yamaha rider.

At the same time, he made no secret of the fact that his motivation to contribute to the development of the next Yamaha generation was limited. “I don’t feel like developing the motorcycle for the riders of 2027,” said the 2021 world champion.

This made public what had already been hinted at for some time: Quartararo and Yamaha no longer fully share the same interests in further development.

Last place in Aragon worsens the situation

The statements also came on a disappointing weekend for Quartararo. The Frenchman retired in the Aragon sprint due to an engine failure through no fault of his own and finished the Sunday race last, even behind two replacement riders.

He then said: “I knew this weekend would be difficult. I couldn’t take anything positive from it. That’s why I will try to understand what went wrong, but I will stop trying 100 different things in a single weekend.”

Quartararo thus once again emphasized that he no longer wants to act as a test pilot and wants to focus more on understanding the causes of the current problems.

V4 introduction: Dispute goes further back

Behind the dispute between the Frenchman and his employer lies a fundamental conflict about Yamaha’s technical future. A central role is played by the manufacturer’s decision to switch from the previous inline four-cylinder to a V4 engine starting in the 2026 season.

Quartararo had clearly spoken out in favor of continuing the proven concept over the years. Yamaha nevertheless decided on the V4.

“The relationship had already become somewhat more complicated before, especially because of the discussions about which motorcycle we should use in 2026,” Quartararo explained according to L’Equipe. “For me, the decision was clear: We had to stick with the inline four-cylinder. Yamaha ultimately decided to continue with the V4 project. That was hard to accept,” admitted the Frenchman.

The dispute over the engine concept shows that the tensions did not arise only from recent events. Quartararo’s and Yamaha’s ideas about the technical development of the project had already diverged earlier.

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