Let's talk MotoGP: Why Quartararo's split with Yamaha leaves a bitter taste in my mouth

It's been official for a few days now: Quartararo will no longer be a Yamaha rider next year, as the rumors suggested. The Frenchman will join Honda in MotoGP starting in 2027 after eight years with the team. Personally, I feel like this adventure is unfinished.

Is the split between Quartararo and Yamaha a disappointment?

I'm not going to waste your time. In my opinion, Fabio Quartararo, world champion MotoGP In 2021, he lost two years of his career with Yamaha. As I predicted in 2024 – against the advice of many people –, These two additional years with the tuning fork company were very difficult, even wasted in a sense.

This year, it really feels like he's given up on the mission. Photo: Michelin Motorsport

Let's take a quick look back at 2025 and 2026, which are still ongoing. In total, Quartararo hasn't won a single race, has only reached the podium once (Spain 2025), and has achieved five pole positions. Leaving aside the financial aspect entirely, I still don't understand this contract. Back then, Quartararo wasn't as critical of his employer as he is today. but had already expressed his dissatisfaction with the performance of the YZR-M1.

I would like to remind everyone that at the time of its extension, Aprilia had also made him an offerGive Quartararo the RS-GP in 2025 and this year, and the debates would be completely different. Why? Because Fabio is pure talent, one of the best riders today, without a doubt. Since 2021, he has completely dominated the competition at Yamaha, in a class of his own within his team. But two of his prime years have been, in my humble opinion, spoiled by this adventure in blue.

So, what will we remember from his collaboration with Yamaha, which has been going on since 2019? Some very good seasons, starting with his 2021 championship. But since mid-2022 and Pecco Bagnaia's incredible comeback, Quartararo has become inextricably linked to the "if." What if he had a Ducati? "," What if he had an Aprilia? "," What if Marquez had a Yamaha? "I'm sorry, but I believe Quartararo's responsibility cannot be ignored, because Iwata's project was clearly not a selling point."

He was promised a V4 engine, and perhaps other things, by 2025. But obviously, a brand-new prototype, appearing in mid-2025, couldn't be high-performing right out of the gate. Besides, I doubt this would really excite "El Diablo." because the announcement of his signing with Honda was revealed even before the Sepang 2026 testswhere he would be able to try out the Yamaha V4 in real-world conditions for the first time.

I really like QuartararoI constantly praise him for his outspokenness and undeniable talent. Nevertheless, I can't hide my disappointment with the outcome of his partnership with Yamaha, which I imagined, after 2021, had a bright future. The proof: if I had told you, on the evening of his 2021 title win, that Quartararo would only achieve three victories, ten other podium finishes, five pole positions, and finish second, tenth, thirteenth, ninth, and fifteenth overall in the... FIVE In the following years, Wouldn't you have been extremely disappointed? That's my feeling

At least he's financially secure for the rest of his life. That's no small thing. Photo: Michelin Motorsport

A new chapter

I'll have the opportunity to discuss his future with Honda again, but I just wanted to include a short paragraph about it today. Contrary to what many think, I'm not particularly optimistic. Honda has been struggling for several years, and its financial power simply isn't enough to compensate for the likely lag Japan is currently experiencing. I've already talked about this phenomenon here.So, yes, we talk about the winged firm's track record, its successes, its dozens of championships. But currently, instinctively, I find it hard to imagine a spectacular leap forward allowing Honda to overtake Ducati and Aprilia, who have revolutionized and continue to revolutionize the sport, 850cc or not. I could be completely wrong, but that's my opinion.

Quartararo also makes me wonder. We all know what he's capable of, of course, especially over a single lap. But his years at Yamaha haven't given him the experience of a multiple champion, a serial winner, or a sporting phenomenon. You might not like it, but I think he's coming in as an outsider. On identical bikes, for example, I don't see him ahead of Marc Marquez, Pecco Bagnaia, Pedro Acosta, Marco Bezzecchi, or Jorge MartinThose riders, thanks to their circumstances, have been able to unlock their potential and improve over the past few years, while Quartararo has been stuck at the back of the pack. I sincerely hope that these many years of absence won't work against him.

I am curious to know what you think of this decision – which was expected – and of Quartararo’s record at Yamaha. Tell me in the comments!