Fabio Quartararo feels he is currently riding at his best, despite enduring another challenging MotoGP season with no race victories and a ninth-place finish in the World Championship standings. It has now been four years since Quartararo clinched the MotoGP title, a drought nearly as long as Marc Marquez’s period without wins from 2019 to 2025.
While Marquez struggled with serious arm and eye injuries alongside an uncompetitive Honda bike, Quartararo remains injury-free and in excellent condition, still outpacing his Yamaha teammates. In fact, the last time a Yamaha rider besides Quartararo made it onto the MotoGP podium was Maverick Vinales at Assen in 2021. Since then, Quartararo has appeared on the podium 16 times, including four wins prior to Yamaha’s latest victory in mid-2022.
Despite this, Quartararo’s championship standings have dropped significantly—from first in 2021 and second in 2022 to 10th, 13th, and most recently ninth in 2025. In his final year riding the Inline M1, he returned to the podium at Jerez, earned two sprint podiums, and nearly won the British GP, but overall, the season fell short of his goals.
“I am a competitor who wants to win and believes I can fight for many victories,” Quartararo said at season’s end, emphasizing, “I am a much better rider than before.” He explained that over the past few years, he has learned to manage difficult situations better, enabling him to ride through problems and keep pushing, even when the bike isn’t perfect.
Despite the bike not feeling ideal, Quartararo expressed confidence in his abilities, supported by his five pole positions this season—tying with Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi and second only to champion Marc Marquez’s eight poles. His final pole at Phillip Island was a surprise, but one he embraced, recognizing the track’s reputation as the fastest in the calendar.
However, his strong qualifying performances often gave way to more defensive race strategies. Quartararo admitted that while he can push more on some tracks, his style now focuses heavily on defense due to limited grip, power, and difficulty in overtaking. Still, he believes he has grown adept at this defensive approach.
Looking ahead, Quartararo’s future with Yamaha hinges on how well his new V4 machine performs in early 2026.
Fan Take: Quartararo’s candid reflection on growth amidst adversity underscores the resilience needed in MotoGP’s fiercely competitive environment. Racing fans should watch closely as his transition to the new Yamaha V4 could spark a thrilling comeback and shake up the championship dynamics in the coming season.
