Fabio Quartararo: “A much better rider than in the past” despite Yamaha's struggles

Fabio Quartararo believes he is riding better than ever, despite another difficult MotoGP season that left him without a grand prix victory and only ninth in the world championship.

It’s now been four years since Quartararo won the MotoGP title, just one season shorter than Marc Marquez’s record drought between 2019 and 2025.

Marquez’s success stalled as he battled career-threatening arm and eye injuries alongside uncompetitive Honda machinery.

Quartararo has been injury-free, while remaining head and shoulders clear of the other Yamaha riders.

The last time a Yamaha rider other than Quartararo stood on a MotoGP podium was Maverick Vinales at Assen in 2021. 

The Frenchman has claimed 16 grand prix rostrums since that date, including four victories, up to and including Yamaha’s most recent win in mid-2022.

But Quartararo’s decline in the world championship standings has been stark: From 1st in 2021 and 2nd in 2022 to 10th, 13th and then 9th in 2025.

The Inline M1’s final season saw Quartararo make a podium return at Jerez plus two Sprint rostrums - and he should have won the British MotoGP - but the season was far below his expectations.

“Of course, I'm a rider that wants to win and that, I think, is able to fight for a lot of things,” Quartararo said during the closing stages of the campaign.

"I'm a much better rider than in the past"

The 26-year-old was also clear on the question of whether, despite the results, he’s riding better than ever:

“Yes. Clearly better. Because I've learned how to manage the difficult moments.

“In the past, in 2021 or 2022, or even the last two years, when I had a tough moment or difficulties on the bike, I was riding with the problems.

“Now I know which problems I have and I'm able to ride above the problems or to the side of them, so I'm able to always push and this I learned during these years.

“I'm not feeling well on the bike, but I'm able to push and I'm sure that I'm a much better rider than in the past.”

Quartararo underlined his raw speed with five pole positions this season, equal with Aprilia race winner Marco Bezzecchi and behind only the eight poles of world champion Marc Marquez.

The most surprising was Quartararo’s final pole of the season, at Phillip Island.

“It's one that I didn't expect,” he said. “So for me, it's maybe the best.

“Also, there are a few tracks where you really want to make a pole position - and victory, of course - and this track is the fastest on the calendar.”

But Quartararo's qualifying heroics were often followed by a defensive race.

“At some tracks I can push a bit more, but especially I never attack,” he said. “It's all about defending.

“This is also a consequence of our low grip and power, that we are never able to really attack someone.

“But I think during these years I've learned how to defend.”

Quartararo’s Yamaha future will now depend on the performance of the new V4 machine in early 2026.