Fabio Quartararo: Yamaha starts MotoGP 2025 “better than last year”

Fabio Quartararo believes Yamaha starts the 2025 MotoGP season this weekend at the Thai Grand Prix “better than last year”.

Yamaha endured a tough 2024 season as it failed to register a single podium, with its best result a sixth-place finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix at the end of the campaign for Quartararo.

But over the year, Yamaha did show signs of improvement as technical leadership from Max Bartolini bore fruit.

That appeared to continue over pre-season testing this year, with strong pace from the Yamaha at Sepang and Buriram leading a number of figures - including Ducati’s Davide Tardozzi - to brand it a potential threat in 2025.

Ahead of the 2025 Thai GP beginning on Friday, Quartararo was in a confident mood.

Yamaha bullish for 2025 MotoGP season

“[I’m] ready,” Quartararo said on Thursday.

“Testing was nice, it was positive for us. Now it’s time to really race, which is the most fun part and see a little bit where we are because testing is one thing, but some made the time attack in the morning, some in the afternoon.

“So the lap time is a little bit different. In Malaysia, everyone did the lap time in the morning, of course, but here was quite different.

“But let’s see. We will evaluate the first five races to see where we are.

“Like I said, testing is different because we made two days only with Michelin rubber [on track].

“So, let’s see in race mode what we can do. But first of all I think we are better than last year.

“Last year’s test I finished 11th and 14th, this year third and eighth. So, already we start with a better base and then we’ll see how we finish.

“But I don’t want to set a goal right now because, to be honest, I don’t have any goal.”

Quartararo struggled with a lack of front feeling during the Buriram test, which will be his main focus during Friday practice as it was a problem with tyres he says he never faced last year.

“Let’s see because usually it’s not really related to our bike because I never had this issue last year,” he said of working on his front feeling.

“Even when we were struggling I never had this issue and especially I was not feeling well with the front tyre.

“So, even if it is the same tyres let’s see if the feeling is different during the sessions and during this weekend. But this will be our main focus for this race.”

Quotes provided by Crash MotoGP Editor Peter McLaren