Fabio Quartararo admitted he felt “heartbroken” after posting a practice lap more than a second off the pace at the Hungarian Grand Prix, leaving Yamaha outside the top ten on Friday.
Yamaha’s package underperforms on the Balaton circuit
The 4.1 km Balaton Park layout, with its lack of long straights, should have muted the shortcomings of Yamaha’s new V4 power unit for 2026. Instead, the factory Yamaha arrived as the slowest manufacturer, while Honda’s Diogo Moreira comfortably topped the four M1 riders.
Quartararo told Canal+ that being a second slower on such a short track is “not great”, and highlighted that he is forced to ride in a manner that contradicts normal MotoGP technique, stripping the experience of enjoyment.
Turning difficulties compound frustration
After a challenging weekend in Mugello, the Frenchman said the bike’s feel has only marginally improved, noting that he must “compensate to get the bike turning”. He described the effort to push the limits as “complicated” and expressed doubt about risking the bike in turns 7 and 8 where it refuses to respond.
Recent in‑season tests at Jerez and Barcelona have offered no relief, with Quartararo criticizing the repetitive nature of the debriefs, calling them “copy‑pasted” across tracks.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s race, Quartararo pledged to give his best when feeling confident, yet remains wary of extracting more from a machine that continues to resist turning, a dilemma that could shape his performance at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
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