MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Fabio Quartararo of Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP has explained that a rear tyre issue was the primary cause behind his significant performance drop during the 2026 Brazilian MotoGP in Goiania.
Quartararo delivered a standout qualifying performance, placing the new Yamaha V4 on the second row in fourth — the team’s best grid position of the season so far. The result marked a notable turnaround from Thailand, where he was nearly nine tenths short of progressing from Q1.
That momentum initially carried into the Sprint, where Fabio Quartararo converted his grid position into a sixth-place finish. However, in the main race — shortened from 31 to 23 laps — his performance dropped sharply, finishing 16th and over 26 seconds behind the race winner.
According to Quartararo, the issue was evident from the earliest phase of the race and severely limited his ability to maintain competitive pace.
“To be honest, we had an issue with the rear. I didn’t have any performance from the beginning,” he said.
“I already felt something was wrong from the warm-up lap. Sometimes it happens, and unfortunately, it happened today.”
He also highlighted additional contributing factors, including a weaker race start and the impact of longer gear ratios, which reduced Yamaha’s acceleration performance relative to its competitors.
“The start wasn’t as good as yesterday, and with longer gears we struggle more in terms of power. But the biggest problem was the rear tyre,” he added.
Late Race Distance Decision Impact
The race was further complicated by a last-minute decision from Race Direction to reduce the distance due to track surface damage at Turns 11 and 12. The announcement came only minutes before the start, leaving limited time for teams to adjust strategies.
Fabio Quartararo expressed concern over the timing of the decision, suggesting that a minimum of 10 minutes’ notice would have allowed for more effective tyre selection and preparation.
“We found out just five minutes before the start. It was a borderline decision made at the last moment,” he explained.
“For me, it was clear I would go with the soft tyre. But maybe others would have chosen the same if they had more time knowing the race would be shorter.”
The late change introduced strategic uncertainty, particularly regarding tyre choice, which is highly sensitive to race distance and track evolution.
Yamaha Performance Context
The Brazilian Grand Prix highlighted the ongoing inconsistency within the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP package. While the V4 concept has shown improved one-lap performance — particularly in qualifying — race pace and tyre management remain areas requiring further development.
Quartararo’s case illustrates the delicate balance between performance gains and operational reliability. The rear tyre issue, combined with broader setup limitations, exposed vulnerabilities that impacted overall competitiveness.
Technical elements such as gearbox configuration and power delivery also continue to influence race performance, especially on circuits with varied acceleration zones like Goiania.
Looking Ahead to Austin
The result in Brazil provides a critical reference point for Yamaha as it prepares for the next round at the Circuit of the Americas. Addressing tyre behaviour, improving race consistency, and refining setup parameters will be central to the team’s short-term development objectives.
With a long season ahead, early identification and resolution of such issues will be essential to maintaining competitiveness in the championship standings.
Overall, while Quartararo demonstrated the potential of the Yamaha package in qualifying conditions, the Brazilian MotoGP exposed key limitations in race execution. The combination of technical challenges and situational factors underlines the complexity of performance optimisation in the current MotoGP landscape.
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