Fabio Quartararo has insisted that his situation cannot be compared to that of Francesco Bagnaia. The Frenchman said he would be furious if he were in Bagnaia's position, as the Italian struggles for form with Ducati.
Quartararo and Bagnaia are both world champions, and both will change teams next season. Quartararo, the last rider to win the title with Yamaha in 2021, will leave the only manufacturer he has raced for in MotoGP over the past eight years to become the spearhead of Honda's project. Bagnaia, meanwhile, will leave Ducati after becoming the most successful rider in the company's history, with two titles and 31 victories, to join Aprilia, where he will be paired with his friend Marco Bezzecchi.
With eight grands prix still to go before he pulls on the red leathers for the final time, Bagnaia sits ninth in the overall standings, having taken four podium finishes in consecutive races. Quartararo, by contrast, is 15th, with less than half as many points as the Italian and without a podium to his name this season. Indeed, the last time he finished a Sunday inside the top three was last year at Jerez, and that was the only occasion he managed it. The Frenchman, nicknamed 'El Diablo', is the best-placed of Yamaha's riders with 61 points, more than twice as many as the next rider, Jack Miller, on 28.
Bagnaia, meanwhile, has both Marquez brothers and Fabio Di Giannantonio ahead of him. Particularly striking is the comparison with the reigning champion, who moved to the top of the standings at Misano and has scored more points over the past six rounds of the calendar (166) than the #63 has accumulated throughout the season so far (143).
Quartararo's repeated criticism of the M1 – whether referring to the previous specification, powered by an inline-four engine, or the new version featuring a V4 – caused tensions between Yamaha and the Nice-born rider to rise considerably in recent weeks. That tension has been particularly evident following the #20's complaints after Yamaha refused to allow him to take part in next Monday's test at the Red Bull Ring, where the Pirelli tyres that will be introduced in 2027 will be used. Bagnaia, for his part, has spent months searching for an explanation for the lack of feeling he is experiencing with his Ducati.
Asked on Thursday at the Red Bull Ring whether he saw any similarities between his situation and Bagnaia's, Quartararo said the two cases had nothing in common. "Because Marc is winning," he explained. "If Alex [Rins], Jack or Toprak [Razgatlioglu] were winning, I would be myself in a bad situation. But it depends on many things. At the end, I don't know the relation with Pecco and Ducati, how they are. But in my personal opinion, if I was in his position, I would be furious."
Quartararo's remarks highlight the pressure on Bagnaia, who must find a solution quickly before losing his place at Ducati. Meanwhile, Quartararo, despite his frustration with Yamaha, remains focused on developing the Honda for next season. Both will approach the remainder of the season with different goals: Bagnaia trying to salvage his campaign, Quartararo building a foundation for the future.
With eight races remaining, public and media attention will remain fixed on this duo. How they navigate the turbulent end of the season will be one of the paddock's most compelling storylines.
Baca Juga
Hujan deras guyur Red Bull Ring jelang MotoGP Austria 2026. Marquez dan Martin sama-sama siap tempur di trek basah, saksikan persaingan sengit.
Fabio Quartararo menegaskan situasinya dengan Francesco Bagnaia tidak sama. Pembalap Yamaha itu mengaku akan murka jika berada di posisi Bagnaia yang tengah dilanda krisis performa bersama Ducati.
Pol Espargaro sebut sangat sulit menghentikan Marc Marquez yang sedang dalam performa puncak, jelang GP Austria MotoGP 2026 di Spielberg.
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