QUARTARARO SAYS YAMAHA’S DECISION TO BLOCK HIS PIRELLI TESTING IS LOGICAL

Fabio Quartararo will not take part in the Pirelli tyre test scheduled after this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, with the Frenchman’s impending Yamaha exit cited as the reason. It will be the second and final in-season Pirelli test, following the earlier session at Brno where he was also absent. Quartararo’s next chance to ride a 2027-spec machine is expected to come only after the season ends in Valencia, assuming an amnesty is granted for riders who are switching teams.

The decision has been linked to Yamaha’s refusal to allow him to test at Spielberg ahead of his move to Honda. After the Aragon GP, Quartararo said he understands why Yamaha would take that position. “From my point of view, yes [Yamaha’s decision is logical], it makes sense,” he said. “From another, less so.” He added that he would rather not go into further detail “to avoid getting into trouble,” but suggested that if he were in Yamaha’s position, he might have done the same thing.

The broader context is that departing riders are widely expected to be blocked from in-season testing so they cannot bring development information to their new employers. Quartararo’s replacement, Jorge Martin, is also sidelined for the tyre test, and other riders associated with future team changes were mentioned as being absent as well, including Francesco Bagnaia (moving from Ducati to Aprilia) and Alex Marquez (moving from Gresini to KTM). The article also noted that Honda had invited Joan Mir and Luca Marini to test at Brno despite their upcoming roles with Gresini and Tech3, while Pedro Acosta was present for KTM.

Even with the issue appearing to have cooled, Quartararo described how the situation has added to the tension of his final season with Yamaha. He insisted he is not at war with the team and wants to end their long partnership on a positive note. “I think both sides tried to do their best [to protect the relationship],” he said. “There were tense moments, but what comes out in the press is magnified, and it makes things seem much worse.”

Quartararo stressed that the remaining time together should be handled calmly: “Of course, things have been better, but we shouldn’t think of this as a war. It’s like in a relationship: there are difficult times, but that’s normal.” He added: “We have three months left together, and it’s not the time for fights after eight years. We’re going to end things in the best way possible, and I hope that in the future we can speak well of everything we’ve accomplished.”

Looking ahead, Yamaha’s full-time line-up is set to change significantly. Of the team’s four riders, only Toprak Razgatlioglu is staying for next year. Alex Rins is retiring, Jack Miller is moving to World Superbikes, and Ai Ogura and Izan Guevara are joining the project alongside Martin.