Fabio Quartararo has shared his thoughts on Francesco Bagnaia’s complicated situation, who is currently struggling to find his rhythm on the track while his teammate, Marc Márquez, stands out with exceptional performances.
Both riders, world champions, are facing tough times in their careers and have announced team changes for the upcoming season. Quartararo, who has competed with Yamaha for eight years, will start leading Honda’s project, while Bagnaia will leave Ducati after becoming the brand’s most successful rider with two titles and 31 victories.
Currently, with eight races pending, Bagnaia is in ninth place in the championship, while Quartararo is in fifteenth, with a score that does not reach half of the Italian’s and without having stepped onto the podium all season.
The Frenchman, known as ‘El Diablo’ and Yamaha’s best rider, pointed out that his last appearance among the top three was in Jerez last year. In contrast, Bagnaia has had four consecutive podiums, but now finds himself just behind rivalries like those between the Márquez brothers and Fabio Di Giannantonio.
Quartaro’s repeated criticisms of the M1 have increased tensions between him and Yamaha, especially after he was not allowed to participate in a scheduled test at the Red Bull Ring with the new Pirelli tires for 2027. Bagnaia, on his part, has sought answers regarding the lack of connection with his Ducati.
Although he was asked about possible similarities between their situations, Quartararo replied that their circumstances are different, arguing that Bagnaia’s frustration is understandable as his teammate is winning. ‘If I were in his situation and my teammate was winning, I would be furious at my inability to do so,’ he expressed.
With the arrival of possible rain conditions for the next Grand Prix, Quartararo is concerned about the vulnerabilities of his motorcycle in terms of grip.
‘Bad weather is not good for us at all, because the lack of grip we suffer is even more noticeable in these conditions,’ he added.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
