In 2021, Fabio Quartararo won his first MotoGP world championship with Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP. The French racer went on to finish the 2022 season in second place overall, taking three wins and eight podiums throughout the season.
In the years since, his results have unfortunately been spotty. MotoGP is very much a team sport, but ultimately, it’s the racers who are taking all the engineering know-how, hopes, dreams and resources of the team, and pushing them to their limits every race. Sometimes they measure up; other times, they don’t.
Last year was the toughest yet for Quartararo, as it’s the only season where he came away without a single podium, as well as a disappointing 13th place finish in the world championship.
Change is afoot at the Yamaha garage, however, not least of which is the addition of technical director Max Bartolini. While the first three race weekends of 2025 haven’t looked particularly great, both Qatar and Jerez showcased just how competitive the Yamaha bike can be – especially with Quartararo at the helm.
In Qatar, the Frenchman qualified third, then went on to finish fifth in the sprint race, just behind Gresini rookie Fermín Aldeguer. On race day at the Lusail International Circuit, he finished in seventh place, just behind Álex Márquez.
This was a view Quartararo repeated when coming in second place at Jerez, where he also finished right behind first-time race winner Álex Márquez. Crucially, the Yamaha rider also held off two-time world champion Pecco Bagnaia, who finished third.
That Jerez podium was the cap on what’s been the most outstanding weekend in a long time, both for Quartararo and the Yamaha MotoGP team.
“I’m feeling over the moon, to be honest,” Quartararo said during a post-race interview on After the Flag
“You know, not only for the podium, but for the moments we leave this weekend with, with the team, with my crew, with my family, with my friends, it was amazing, especially with the pole position. Lead[ing] the race [again after] three years, now mak[ing] the podium, so it was nice. And fighting with these guys now is something that I totally forgot, and it’s a great feeling.”
Leading the race for 11 laps was also very much welcome, especially after such a long dry spell at the front. At the same time, though, Quartararo has realistic expectations about his chances for the remainder of the season.
“You know, in the past, I used to win races [laughs],” Quartararo added.
“I love to be at the front and lead the race, and this is what we have done today, but the pace was not good enough to keep the first position and be fighting with Alex. But you know, I think, like I always say, we have to be step by step. And already, I think we have skipped some during this weekend, because we had not achieved one top 5 [yet this season]. [And now] straight to the podium in second position.
“We have to stay calm, especially for the next races. But if the results don’t come yet, we have to be ready to be a little bit in the back.”
Is it too early to ask whether we’re witnessing a Quartararo renaissance in real time? Two progressively encouraging race weekends in a row isn’t a trend, but could very much signal the start of one.
Don’t forget, Le Mans is next on the calendar, which is not only Quartararo’s home race but is also one that he is yet to win for the first time in his career so far. Will Yamaha have another surprise up its sleeve, apart from apparently showcasing some special liveries that we have to look forward to?
“I’m super happy to make this podium just before Le Mans,” Quartararo added. “That is my home race, and it’s going to be super special, also because it’s a track that I like; [there will be] many, many fans; [it’s my] home GP; [and there] will [be] some nice liveries there, so we’re going to enjoy it.”
Everyone loves a good comeback story, and everyone loves to see someone win their home race. Will Le Mans 2025 be Quartararo’s time to shine from the top step of the podium once more? Or, could it at least give him another extremely solid race weekend to bolster Yamaha’s confidence, which is very much moving in the right direction? Stay tuned.
