Fabio Quartararo stepped forward after the Aragon GP to explain the frustration that prompted his blunt remarks about Yamaha, and to confirm he will no longer race with the factory.
What sparked the clash
During the August race at MotorLand Aragón, Quartararo said he would “not want to help Yamaha for personal reasons,” claiming his conflict stemmed from the team’s decision to deny him the Pirelli tyre test for the next season. Two days later, Yamaha chief Paolo Pavesio labelled Quartararo’s comments “lacking objectivity,” effectively closing the door on his test participation after the Austrian GP.
Asked before the San Marino GP if he regretted the statements, the Frenchman replied, “No, I think it’s not about regret or not.” He added that a team huddle last week had repaired the relationship and that everything was “pretty normal” afterward.
Frustration behind the words
Quartararo admitted that the Yamaha package continues to feel uncompetitive, which fuels a continual sense of frustration. “You never get used to having some difficult moments,” he explained. “When you’re not achieving what you want, the frustration is always there.” He added that his competitiveness makes the feeling more intense, and that he seeks better timing when addressing media.
He also noted that he has previously consulted sports psychologists when dealing with pressure in earlier stages of his career, but he no longer feels the need for that support at present.
Moving forward
After a meeting with Yamaha, Quartararo confirmed that relations have been normalized. While he remains critical of the current package, he has pledged to manage his frustration in a more measured way on the track. The rider will now finish the season on Honda, carrying the lessons learned from his strained Yamaha stint into his next chapter.
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