Fabio Quartararo: Yamaha V4 “Needs a Few More Months” as 2026 Set to Be Year of Development

French star admits Yamaha is up to 0.7s off race pace and warns wins and poles may be out of reach this season.

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Fabio Quartararo believes Yamaha still needs “a few more months to be ready” with its all-new V4 MotoGP project, as he prepares for what he expects to be a challenging 2026 season focused largely on development.

Yamaha’s long-anticipated V4 engine marks a significant technical shift as the manufacturer attempts to return to winning ways. However, early signs suggest the project remains in its infancy. 

At the recent pre-season test at Chang International Circuit, Yamaha finished more than a second off the benchmark lap time. None of its riders managed competitive race simulations, raising concerns ahead of the season opener.  

Quartararo estimates the bike is currently between seven to eight tenths of a second slower than last year’s race pace.  

“I tried to give my maximum,” said the 2021 MotoGP World Champion, whose frustrations were visible during the Buriram test. 

“We can see we are seven, eight tenths slower than last year’s race simulation in the test.

“But I think it’s a long process and we need a few more months to be ready.”

Engine Not the Only Problem

While Yamaha’s V4 engine remains down on top speed compared to its rivals, a revised version is expected to debut around the Spanish Grand Prix.

However, Quartararo insists that the engine alone will not solve the bike’s broader issues.

“I think the engine is a big step of our improvement, but not all of it,” he explained.

Despite Yamaha’s struggles in 2025, Quartararo still managed to extract standout qualifying performances and even secured a handful of podium finishes. But he is far less optimistic about repeating those heroics in 2026.

“There Will Be No Possibility of Pole Laps”

When asked whether the first half of the season would revolve around development, Quartararo was blunt.

“Well, I think that will be all year, to be honest, because I don’t think we can find all what we need super quickly,” he admitted.

“It will be challenging, because as a rider you want to fight for the victory or at least like last year make pole positions and front rows. But we are very far from that.

“This year there will be no possibility of doing these kinds of [pole] laps, because it’s clearly the point where we miss from last year, and I don’t think in half a year we will find that.

“So, let’s see what we can achieve.”

With expectations tempered and development clearly the priority, Yamaha’s 2026 campaign appears set to be a rebuilding year, one that may test Quartararo’s patience as much as his speed.