Fabio Quartararo believes he’s driving higher than ever, regardless of having had one other powerful MotoGP season this yr, with no Grand Prix wins and solely ninth place within the World Championship.
It has been 4 years since Quartararo received the MotoGP title, only one season shorter than Marc Marquez’s document drought from 2019 to 2025.
Marquez’s success stalled as he battled career-threatening arm and eye accidents, together with an uncompetitive Honda machine.
Quartararo has no accidents and stays in good situation, head and shoulders above different Yamaha riders.
The final time a Yamaha rider aside from Quartararo stood on the MotoGP podium was Maverick Vinales at Assen in 2021.
The Frenchman has been on the rostrum for 16 Grands Prix since that day, together with 4 wins earlier than Yamaha’s newest win in mid-2022.
Nevertheless, Quartararo’s world championship rankings declined considerably, going from first place in 2021 and second place in 2022 to tenth, thirteenth, and ninth in 2025.
In his last season with the Inline M1, Quartararo returned to the rostrum at Jerez, had two podiums within the dash, and may have received the British MotoGP, however the season fell effectively in need of his expectations.
“After all I am a rider who desires to win and I feel I can battle for lots,” Quartararo mentioned on the finish of the season.
“I am a a lot better rider than I used to be earlier than.”
The 26-year-old was additionally clear on the query of whether or not he’s driving higher than ever regardless of the end result.
“Sure, I’ve positively gotten higher as a result of I’ve discovered the way to take care of troublesome moments.”
“Previously, in 2021 or 2022 and even within the final two years, once I confronted powerful moments and difficulties on the bike, I used to be driving with issues.
“Now I do know what issues I’ve and I can experience over them or experience beside them so I can at all times push, which is one thing I’ve discovered over the previous couple of years.”
“The bike will not be feeling nice, however I’m able to push it and I’m assured that I’m a a lot better rider than earlier than.”
Fabio Quartararo, 2025 Australian MotoGP
Quartararo has underlined his pure pace with 5 pole positions this season, which places him alongside Aprilia race winner Marco Bezzecchi and second solely to world champion Marc Marquez’s eight pole positions.
Most shocking was Quartararo’s last pole place of the season at Phillip Island.
“That is one thing I did not count on,” he mentioned. “So possibly that’s what’s finest for me.
“Additionally, there are some tracks the place we actually wish to get pole place and naturally win, however this observe is the quickest on the calendar.”
However Quartararo’s qualifying heroics have been usually adopted by a defensive race.
“I can push a bit extra relying on the observe, however I do not actually assault,” he mentioned. “It’s all about protection.
“That is additionally a results of our low grip power and energy and incapacity to essentially hit somebody.
“However I feel over the previous couple of years I’ve discovered the way to play protection.”
Quartararo’s future with Yamaha will rely on the efficiency of his new V4 machine in early 2026.
