Fabio Quartararo Finds Gains at Jerez Test 2026

MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Fabio Quartararo and Yamaha MotoGP recorded limited but meaningful progress during the official MotoGP Jerez 2026 test, following a difficult Spanish Grand Prix where overall race performance remained below expectations.

The French rider undertook an extensive testing programme centred on Yamaha’s developing V4 project, evaluating multiple configurations across chassis, aerodynamics, electronics, and swingarm concepts. The session formed part of Yamaha’s broader effort to accelerate understanding of the new engine platform, which is still in a critical phase of technical refinement.

During Sunday’s race, Quartararo finished 14th, nearly 30 seconds behind race winner Alex Marquez, and approximately 20 seconds slower than his own previous runner-up performance on the inline engine package. The comparison highlighted the current performance deficit and the adaptation challenges associated with the transition to the V4 configuration.

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However, in Monday’s test, Quartararo improved to seventh overall, within half a second of the fastest time. The key gain identified by the rider was a better front-end feeling, which directly influences braking confidence and corner entry precision—two areas critical for extracting lap time in MotoGP conditions.

“We made a lot of tests today with electronics, chassis, swingarm, and aerodynamics. We had already tried the chassis during the race weekend, but I focused a lot on aero today, and the last one I used felt the most positive,” Quartararo said in an official statement.

He confirmed that the improvements were specific rather than transformative, particularly in providing clearer feedback from the front tyre. This is essential for defining the operating limit and enabling consistent lap execution over race distance.

“We found a bit more front feeling with the setup and aero, which is a big help because I can better understand where the limit is. But we still miss a lot,” he added.

Despite the step forward, Quartararo cautioned against overestimating the impact of the updates. He emphasised that the developments identified during the test do not yet represent a major breakthrough capable of significantly altering Yamaha’s competitive position in the short term.

“I don’t think we found something big. It’s a small detail that helps my riding. Honestly, we didn’t find something really, really important,” he stated.

Team-mate Jack Miller was the next Yamaha rider on the timesheets in 17th position, underlining the ongoing challenge of achieving consistent performance across the line-up. With the French Grand Prix at Le Mans approaching, Yamaha’s focus will be on translating these incremental gains into measurable race performance improvements in a competitive field.