Relations between Yamaha and Fabio Quartararo have grown strained. Long the team's most loyal defender through lean results, the Frenchman began airing veiled complaints in early 2026 about how slowly the Japanese factory develops its bike, conceding at the Thailand season opener that he lacked the pace to fight up front. Rumors of a Honda switch for 2027-2028 followed, though he did sample a V4-powered Yamaha amid the speculation.
Things cooled after the Aragon Grand Prix. Speaking at Misano last week, Quartararo revealed that he and the team held a private meeting to defuse the friction, admitting that frustration had led both sides to say things they should not have — but that the matter was now settled.
Team director Massimo Meregalli used the episode to make a striking admission: since Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Maverick Vinales departed, Quartararo's brilliance had been papering over deep structural problems. Rossi highlighted those very flaws roughly ten years ago, Meregalli said, yet the Iwata-based manufacturer kept them in place — treading water while Ducati and other fast-reacting European rivals charged on to world titles. He insists Yamaha is now genuinely moving forward, having recruited specialists from other manufacturers, though he cautions the competition will not wait. Next season, Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura are set to reinforce the rider lineup.