QUARTARARO SAYS YAMAHA LOOKS OUTDATED AS DUCATI AND APRILIA MOVE AHEAD

Fabio Quartararo has been blunt about where Yamaha sit in MotoGP’s current technical landscape, arguing that the gap is visible even beyond performance. Speaking to Motorbike Mag, the Frenchman—now in his final season with the Yamaha team before switching to Honda—said the sport’s evolution has left his bike behind in both technology and aerodynamics. Quartararo, who won the world title with Yamaha in 2021 and finished runner-up in 2022, now finds himself on course for a career-low 15th place in the standings.

Asked whether MotoGP’s rapid development caught Yamaha off guard, Quartararo replied: “Yes. In the end, there’s been a huge change, especially in technology and aerodynamics. They seem like small changes, but when there are ten small changes, the final result is very significant.” He added that Yamaha’s lack of adaptation shows up “even aesthetically,” saying: “you see our bike and it looks like a bike from four years ago, while now you see any MotoGP bike and they look like rockets or tanks with all the aerodynamics.”

The Yamaha rider linked the problem to more than one area. “We can’t do it either because we don’t have the engine power. There are many things that mean we’re still a long way off,” he said, pointing to an ongoing power deficit alongside the broader technical shortfall.

Quartararo also suggested Yamaha’s approach is harder to change than those of their rivals. He described the situation as partly “culturally,” implying Yamaha are set in their ways, while Honda’s new project has been more open to embracing change. The comments come as the 1000cc era is nearing its end, with Quartararo noting that Ducati and Aprilia have led the way in key areas—Ducati in electronics such as ride-height devices, and Aprilia in aerodynamics—while Yamaha have struggled to match the pace of that progress.

A report cited in the discussion claimed Yamaha spend three times as much as Aprilia per year yet remain at the bottom of the standings, reinforcing Quartararo’s view that the team has not kept up. He also referenced the possibility of recruitment as a route back up, with Marco Melandri recently suggesting Yamaha are pushing to sign Fabiano Sterlacchini.