Fabio Quartararo didn’t hold back after the United States Grand Prix, choosing to speak out against Yamaha despite calls from Paolo Pavesio to keep things behind closed doors.
The start of 2026 hasn’t been kind to the Japanese manufacturer. They’re bottom of the constructors’ table with just nine points from three rounds, while both the factory and satellite Pramac teams are also propping up their respective standings with nine and one point each.
LCR Honda, currently ninth in the teams’ standings with 22 points, are still well clear of Yamaha. In the constructors’ race, Honda sit fourth on 28 points. Aprilia leads that chart with 101 points, followed by Ducati on 69.
Quartararo is the highest-placed Yamaha rider but sits only 17th in the standings with six points. Teammate Alex Rins has three points in 18th place, while Pramac’s Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jack Miller are down in 20th and 21st with just one point between them.
Fabio Quartararo defied Paolo Pavesio’s request to keep Yamaha complaints out of the public eye
The decision to switch to a new V4 engine has left Yamaha trailing their rivals, who have years of experience with 1,000cc units. The team also had to design an entirely new bike around the engine, adding another layer of difficulty.
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Quartararo is under no illusions about how much work needs to be done. He’s said that he can’t find anything positive to say about the V4 YZR-M1 after three rounds and that he doesn’t believe anyone at Yamaha knows how to fix it.
MOW reported that Quartararo’s reaction after finishing 17th in Austin was a direct response to a recent ‘half-warning’ from Yamaha managing director Paolo Pavesio, who had asked him not to air grievances in public.
Pavesio has acknowledged rider frustration but believes some issues are better handled internally. Despite this, Quartararo chose not to hold back following another difficult weekend for the team.
At COTA, Razgatlioglu finished just over a second behind VR46 rider Franco Morbidelli on his Ducati GP25. Razgatlioglu also led Pramac teammate Jack Miller by 0.760s and was ahead of Quartararo by 1.587s.
It remains unclear if Yamaha will take further steps ahead of future races in an attempt at keeping Quartararo quiet, although his move toward Honda in 2027 may limit their influence over him moving forward.
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