Fabio Quartararo feels he has reached a higher level as a rider, even though another tough MotoGP campaign ended without a grand prix win and only ninth place in the championship.
It has now been four years since Quartararo last lifted the MotoGP world title, a wait only slightly shorter than Marc Marquez’s six-season gap between championships from 2019 to 2025. Marquez’s drought was largely caused by serious arm and eye injuries, as well as an uncompetitive Honda.
By contrast, Quartararo has stayed injury-free throughout Yamaha’s decline and has continued to clearly outperform his team-mates. In fact, no Yamaha rider other than Quartararo has stepped onto a MotoGP podium since Maverick Vinales at Assen in 2021.
Since then, the Frenchman has collected 16 grand prix podium finishes, including four victories, with Yamaha’s last win coming in the middle of the 2022 season.
However, his championship results tell a difficult story. After finishing first in 2021 and second in 2022, Quartararo slipped to 10th, then 13th, before ending the 2025 season in ninth place, highlighting the ongoing challenges facing Yamaha despite his personal progress.
