Fabio Quartararo defended outgoing Yamaha MotoGP riders Jack Miller and Alex Rins in comments published Aug. 22, 2026, following the announcement that both would leave the Monster Energy Yamaha team at the end of the season. Quartararo said the riders, who have won races in MotoGP, should not be judged as inexperienced and attributed Yamaha’s struggles to the bike rather than the riders, according to his statements.
Yamaha officially confirmed on June 30, 2026, that Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins will leave the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team at the end of the 2026 season, ending their collaboration with the manufacturer, according to official statements and reports by Reuters. The announcement came as part of a broader restructuring within Yamaha, which is preparing a significant reshuffle of its rider lineup for 2027. Sources indicate that Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura are expected to join Yamaha’s MotoGP project next year.
“They are not rookies,” Quartararo said, highlighting that both riders have won races in MotoGP.
In comments published August 22, 2026, Quartararo defended outgoing Yamaha riders Jack Miller and Alex Rins, emphasizing that both should not be judged as inexperienced despite losing their seats for the 2027 season. He specifically noted Rins’s adaptability, pointing out that Rins has won with different manufacturers, which demonstrates his proven level of performance. Quartararo described Miller and Rins as “really, really fast riders,” and attributed Yamaha’s current struggles primarily to the bike’s performance rather than the riders’ abilities.
Quartararo, who joined Yamaha in MotoGP in 2019 and won one world championship along with 11 races with the brand, said he is the rider with the most experience on Yamaha’s machinery, lending particular weight to his assessment. He contrasted the 2025 Yamaha bike, which he said had known limits, with the new V4 machine introduced in 2026, describing the latter as “a completely new bike” that requires a different approach to riding and development. Quartararo warned that Yamaha must “make a step” to become competitive again and said the current package has “no strong points compared to last year,” a critical evaluation of the manufacturer’s 2026 project.
The context of Quartararo’s remarks is notable as they come amid Yamaha’s ongoing performance challenges in MotoGP. Earlier in 2026, Quartararo publicly stated that Yamaha had “no idea how to fix all the problems” with the bike, reflecting the depth of the issues facing the team. Yamaha’s decision to part ways with Quartararo and Rins signals a strategic shift, with the manufacturer aiming to rebuild around a new rider structure. Reports from June 2026 indicated that Yamaha was preparing for a new direction in 2027 by bringing in younger talents like Martin and Ogura.
Despite his professional disappointment with Yamaha’s recent performance, Quartararo expressed gratitude toward the team for his time there. After the official confirmation of his departure, he thanked Yamaha for the championship and victories they shared, describing the team as “part of my story” and acknowledging its role in his growth as a rider and person. He said he would “always be grateful” to the manufacturer for their achievements together and noted that the difficult last two seasons would not ruin their relationship.
Yamaha’s struggles have been under scrutiny for some time, with the manufacturer facing criticism over its inability to deliver a competitive bike in recent years. Quartararo’s defense of Miller and Rins shifts some of the responsibility for poor results away from the riders and toward the machine’s shortcomings. His comments suggest that the riders’ performances should be evaluated in the context of Yamaha’s technical challenges rather than as a reflection of their individual talent.
As the 2026 season progresses toward its conclusion, Yamaha’s MotoGP team is entering a period of transition, with significant changes anticipated in the rider lineup and technical development. The arrival of Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura next year marks a new chapter for the manufacturer as it seeks to regain competitiveness in the premier class. Meanwhile, Quartararo’s public statements underscore the complexity of the current situation, balancing respect for his teammates’ abilities with candid assessments of Yamaha’s ongoing difficulties.
