Fabio Quartararo and Massimo Meregalli appear to be at odds as Yamaha’s difficult season continues.
Quartararo and Toprak Razgatlioglu voiced their disappointment with Yamaha after the Spanish Grand Prix, making it clear that neither is happy with how things are going.
Quartararo even admitted that the bike’s performance issues have made him fall out of love with racing. He said, “It takes everything I love about racing away from me,” explaining that he feels powerless to change anything while dealing with an underperforming machine every week.
Yamaha hasn’t kept up in terms of development either. Quartararo raised concerns about the V4 engine six months ago, but his main issues still haven’t been addressed.
Fabio Quartararo and Massimo Meregalli not aligned on Yamaha situation
Jack Appleyard, speaking on the latest episode of After the Flag, shed some light on the growing frustration inside Yamaha this season.
He pointed out that Massimo Meregalli had earlier reassured everyone that there were no issues with rider motivation, but later at Jerez, Fabio Quartararo openly said he was struggling to stay motivated.
Appleyard broke down the main issue in simple terms, saying that until a new engine arrives – which isn’t expected before Le Mans – Yamaha won’t have a chance to compete. “The bottom line is they need to bring a new engine. And that new engine doesn’t seem to come tomorrow, doesn’t seem like it’s going to come in time for Le Mans. Until the new engine comes, and they’ve got a few horses to play with, they’ve got no chance. They’re getting murdered everywhere.”
The situation has turned into a waiting game for Yamaha. Appleyard noted it’s about surviving until changes are made and maybe finding opportunities in unusual conditions like rain. He referenced Meregalli’s comments about rider motivation:
MotoGP reporter Jack Appleyard shared some interesting insight during the latest episode of After the Flag about Yamaha’s internal frustration.
MotoGP reporter Jack Appleyard shared some interesting insight during the latest episode of After the Flag about Yamaha’s internal frustration.
Yamaha’s handling of rider concerns could backfire
Yamaha’s form this season has been far below expectations, and the way they’re handling feedback from inside the team isn’t helping matters.
Meregalli’s claim that rider motivation isn’t a problem was quickly contradicted by Quartararo, one of their top riders, which only added to the sense of disconnect within the camp.
It hasn’t been an easy time for anyone at Yamaha lately, and it feels like something needs to change before things start heading in a better direction.
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