MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Fabio Quartararo visibly expressed his frustration with Yamaha’s new V4 machine during Day 1 of the 2026 pre-season test at Buriram, after television cameras captured the French rider gesturing at his bike on track.
Yamaha confirmed in 2024 that it would abandon its long-standing inline-four engine concept in favour of a V4 configuration, aiming to align its technical philosophy with the majority of the grid and accelerate its return to competitiveness in the FIM MotoGP World Championship. The V4 project was also widely viewed as a key element in securing Quartararo’s long-term future with the manufacturer.
However, the early phase of 2026 testing has proven challenging. At Sepang, Yamaha lost an entire day of running due to an engine issue, temporarily withdrawing all riders while safety assessments were conducted. Although the team returned on the final day, performance appeared constrained, with indications of reduced engine revs and limited outright pace.
Quartararo’s difficulties continued at Buriram. After suffering a broken finger in a crash during the Sepang test, he returned to action on Saturday. At approximately 15:00 local time, cameras captured him giving the V4 machine a middle-finger gesture on track before appearing visibly dejected in the garage.
The scene drew comparisons with Marc Marquez’s 2023 German Grand Prix weekend with Honda, when the Spaniard made a similar gesture during practice after repeated near-crashes. That weekend, marked by five falls at Sachsenring, signalled the beginning of the end of Marquez’s tenure with the Japanese manufacturer.
As of 15:00 local time at Buriram, Yamaha had yet to demonstrate significant progress. Its highest-placed rider was Jack Miller in 13th for the satellite team, while Luca Marini positioned Honda third overall in the session standings.
Fabio Quartararo & Yamaha V4 Situation Overview
Engine Concept Change - Inline-four replaced by V4 from 2026
Sepang Setback - One full test day lost due to engine issue
Injury - Broken finger suffered on first day at Sepang
Buriram Incident - On-track frustration gesture at 15:00 local time
Current Performance - Outside top ten on Day 1
Quartararo’s visible frustration comes amid uncertainty surrounding his long-term future beyond 2026. With Yamaha’s V4 project entering a decisive phase, the manufacturer faces mounting pressure to deliver competitive gains before the championship season officially begins.
Read Also
Full 2026 Buriram MotoGP test schedule with local Thailand time and UK GMT timings ahead of the Thai Grand Prix.
Aston Martin and Honda face reliability and power concerns during 2026 F1 Bahrain testing, raising early-season questions.
Fabio Quartararo shows frustration with Yamaha’s V4 at the 2026 Buriram MotoGP test, but technical analysis reveals limited positives.
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