Fabio Quartararo has slammed MotoGP’s revised starting grid after a ninth-place finish in the Sachsenring sprint on Monday.
What happened?
Four years after his last MotoGP win at the Sachsenring, Fabio Quartararo could only manage ninth in the MotoGP sprint on 13 July 2026. The Frenchman started sixth but dropped to P9 at the drop of the flag, losing places to Jorge Martin (Aprilia), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) and Pedro Acosta (KTM). He clung to the final sprint point until the flag.
Why it matters for Fabio Quartararo
Quartararo admitted the qualifying run felt “much better than expected,” clocking 1:19.383 to secure sixth on the grid. But the race told a different story. He lost two positions on the opening lap and never recovered. “My aim was basically the race itself,” he said. “I knew Martin, Bagnaia and Acosta had more pace—especially when the tyres overheat.”
The Yamaha rider also outlined the bike’s core issues. “Our aero is basic; we’re 6 or 7 km/h slower even on the short straights,” he said. “The gear ratios are very short; we normally ride from second to sixth gear.” Wheelies and poor aerodynamics are now regular headaches. “I’m really struggling because I can see the others pulling away in the second sector—they’ve got more grip and manoeuvrability.”
Quartararo’s take on the new starting grid
The revised staggered grid drew his sharpest criticism. “You do notice it’s a bit wider, but the spacing doesn’t make much difference to me,” Quartararo said. “The extra space before the braking zone doesn’t really help because it’s simply used up again by braking later. You can gain three metres, but you end up braking later. I don’t think that helps.”
He also dismissed any safety gains. “I didn’t feel any safer,” Quartararo added. “Nothing had changed at the start.”
What comes next?
Quartararo confirmed the team will keep the revised set-up for the main race. “We’ve taken a step forward,” he said. “We didn’t try the different set-up on Friday, but we gave it a go in the second practice. The feeling was better in areas where I’d previously had problems.” The Frenchman now targets a top-10 in the 30-lap race on Tuesday.
Top speed is less critical at the Sachsenring, but Quartararo’s Yamaha still labours in the short bursts. “We’ll stick with this set-up for tomorrow and try to make the most of the 30 laps,” he said.