“I’m lost”: Fabio Quartararo changes approach to no avail at Brno MotoGP

Fabio Quartararo’s crash from the Czech MotoGP on the second lap was the end of another miserable weekend for the Frenchman as he found the Yamaha M1 void of potential.

Quartararo’s morale in the struggling Yamaha project, which he is expected to depart for HRC in 2027, reached new lows at the Hungarian MotoGP where he effectively said he was riding to avoid injury.

At Brno, he went back to pushing and riding as he wanted, but came away with no points after crashing out on the second lap of the 21-lap Sunday race, the Frenchman trying to change his approach to riding after finding in the aftermath of the Sprint that he’d been braking too early in the opening laps.

“Yesterday we saw that in the beginning of the race I was not braking enough, so my comment was that the feeling was not great and we just talked this morning that I had to brake more late in the beginning of the race,” said Fabio Quartararo after the MotoGP race at Brno.

“So, the feeling was not really there. I made some overtakes on the limit, because I overtake Brad [Binder], Maverick [Vinales], and Luca [Marini], but only lasted one-lap-and-a-half. 

“So, you know, my comments are really clear and I try to make my best, but today I just wanted to enjoy, try to push to the limit, like I like to ride, but unfortunately at the moment we are not able to do that.”

Quartararo added: “To be honest, I just wanted to push, but if you really want to push, this is what is happening [the crash], so I prefer doing that than just stay on the wheels and being 1.5 seconds slower.”

The Monster Energy Yamaha rider explained that the difference between being off the pace, and pushing over the limit and crashing on the 2026 Yamaha is smaller than in 2025 because he understood the inline-four version of the YZR-M1 to a greater extent.

“The thing is, last year, I knew what I was doing, I knew where was the limit, I knew where I could push, but this year I'm lost in where is the bike’s potential. 

“For sure the potential is not there, but with no potential there is also a limit and this limit you never really feel. 

“So, you know, the feeling on the front that you need to have when you arrive in the last moment, there is not the traction, there is not the turning, there is not the power.

“In the uphill with Luca in the first lap, you cannot hold. And even when you need to overtake, to Luca, was a suicide overtake for P12. 

“So, there are many, many things, but this will be my mentality from now, just I don't know what will happen, but at least try to push when I feel [...] how I feel today and that's it.”

Miller: “It’s a sh*tty feeling”

Quartararo’s downbeat summary of the Czech Grand Prix was matched by Jack Miller, who found himself out-paced by Pramac Yamaha team-mate Toprak Razgatlioglu.

“Another day done,” said Miller. “We don't make really any mistakes. I tried to get Toprak [Razgatlioglu], but honestly every time I try to brake a little bit later I kind of run a little bit deep or lose the front trying to carry a little bit more corner speed. 

“I kind of had my pace. He was able to inch away bit by bit. That was my rhythm, to stay there. 

“You don't make any really big mistakes and you feel like you ride to your full capability on the day and you're still 30 seconds behind. It's a shitty feeling.”