Fabio Quartararo has often spoken about how much Yamaha has struggled since he won the World Championship in 2021. Even though he feels disappointed, he continues to ride at a very high level and still shows how much talent he has.

In 2025, Quartararo has started from pole position four times, which is the second-best record on the grid after Marc Márquez. However, he has only managed to turn one of those poles into a podium finish, coming second at Jerez. It shows how fast he can be, but also how much the Yamaha needs to improve.

Quartararo has said that he always feels worried when he rides the current bike because it finds it difficult to get the soft tyres warm in the first few laps. This means he cannot push hard at the beginning of races, which often costs him important positions. He is becoming impatient and wants Yamaha to give him a more competitive motorcycle. The team understands how important he is and is doing everything possible to keep him happy. Recent reports say Yamaha have already made a very large offer to try to convince him to stay with them beyond his current contract.

Yamaha is working on a new V4 engine, which they would like to switch to in 2026. They believe this will help them to close the gap to the top teams. Quartararo has been pushing for the project to move faster because he wants to fight for wins again as soon as possible. However, his first test of the V4 bike at Misano did not go well. People who saw him afterwards said he looked very unhappy, suggesting that the early version of the bike still needs a lot of work before it can compete with the best.

Quartararo already earns around 12 million euros a year with Yamaha, and his current deal runs until the end of 2026. The new offer is said to be even bigger, as Yamaha do not want to lose him to another team. Several rivals, including Honda and Ducati, are already showing interest in signing him for 2027.

Quartararo has said he will not make a final decision about his future until after the first few races of 2026. He wants to see how competitive the new bike will be before deciding whether to stay or leave. When he was asked if he might move to a smaller satellite team, he said that he and his team deserve a factory seat.

At the moment, he would prefer to stay with Yamaha and win again with them, but his decision will depend on how much progress the team makes with the new bike. If Yamaha cannot give him a machine that can fight for the championship, he will probably start looking for new opportunities elsewhere.

For now, the 2021 champion continues to ride with determination, but his future remains uncertain. Yamaha know they need to deliver results soon if they want to keep their star rider beyond 2026.