Quartararo on Yamaha V4: “I spent many years struggling, now I want a winning bike”

Fabio Quartararo says he wants a “winning bike” from Yamaha in 2026 after years of “struggling” on uncompetitive machinery in MotoGP, as he raises expectations for the Japanese manufacturer’s ambitious V4 project.

Yamaha is in the advanced stages of developing an all-new V4-powered prototype, marking a significant shift from the inline-four engine layout it has raced with throughout its MotoGP era.

While other riders from the Iwata-based marque have provided more encouraging feedback about the prototype, Quartararo maintains that it is “worse” than its current contender and “won’t solve all its problems”.

As Augusto Fernandez prepares for his second wildcard outing on the V4-powered Yamaha at the Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend, the Frenchman said he has high hopes from Yamaha’s next contender as he evaluates his own future beyond 2026.

“I need a fast bike, I need to feel that the bike is a winning bike, and the bike that is ready to fight for top three and top five for every single session, every single sprint and every single GP,” he said.

“It’s really clear from my side [what my expectations are]. It's going to be difficult, of course, but it's what I need. I spent many years struggling but now I want a winning bike.”

Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images

November’s Valencia test will be a crucial opportunity for Yamaha to evaluate its V4 progress and compare its performance against other bikes.

While Quartararo is excited to see how the bike has developed since his previous run, he stressed he is willing to wait until the 2026 pre-season tests to confirm its potential.

“I think that the two most important things are Valencia and Sepang [tests],” he explained.

“Of course at Valencia, I know that the bike will still not be completely ready, but in February here [at Sepang], the bike will be almost the one that we will race. 

“So it's going to be super important to have what I want in the Sepang test.”