2026 was always going to be a challenge for Fabio Quartararo. The 2021 MotoGP™ World Champion has had to help develop Yamaha ' s V4 YZR-M1, a completely new bike for this year, and the factory ' s first attempt at a four-stroke V4 in the modern era.
To date, this season has had its fair share of ups and downs. Down on power compared to his rivals, Quartararo has struggled at wide, open tracks with plenty of straights. But at tighter, slower circuits, the Frenchman has shown he is still a formidable rider. Grip has also played a crucial role in his fortunes.
" At Le Mans the grip of the track was really good, and I could really make a difference on the pace," explained Quartararo. " But, in general, at every track, the grip is really, really low, and we arrive super fast at the limit. So, that ' s why also the gaps between all of us at Yamaha are really small because, actually, you cannot push. You are just sliding and braking. You can try to make a bit of the difference on the braking, but this is where I ' m really struggling because I arrive at the limit super quick."
Prior to this year, Quartararo ' s only MotoGP™ experience was on Yamaha ' s previous inline-four M1. He has been happy to prove that he could adapt to this new machine almost straight away.
" It is one of the things I am happy about. I have to adapt to different riding style and there are many things to adjust for our bike. I felt straight away where I needed to change, where I needed to adapt in a different way.
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