Fabio Quartararo battles tire degradation in Argentina MotoGP sprint

Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo faced severe grip issues in the Argentina MotoGP sprint, dropping to ninth after a strong start.

Fabio Quartararo of France and Monster Energy Yamaha rides at Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo on March 15, 2025, in Rio Hondo, Argentina. Photo by Gold & Goose/LAT Images

By Hayu Andini and Anna Fadiah

Fabio Quartararo endured a challenging race at the MotoGP round in Termas de Río Hondo, Argentina, struggling with high tire wear that derailed his chances of securing a strong result. The Yamaha rider made a promising start in the sprint race, surging into fourth place early on. However, as the laps progressed, his pace faded dramatically, causing him to slip down the order and ultimately finish ninth.

Despite an encouraging qualifying performance, where he clocked a lap time of 1:37.347 to secure seventh place on the grid, Quartararo found himself unable to maintain his early momentum. He launched off the line well, positioning himself in the front group on the opening lap. However, his fortunes took a turn as excessive tire wear set in, leaving him unable to defend his position.

"I pushed hard at the beginning, but then I lost a lot of grip," Quartararo explained after the race. "I tried to maintain the pace, but from the fifth lap, everything started to change. I didn't expect to lose performance so quickly."

Yamaha’s grip issues expose long-distance weaknesses

One of the key issues plaguing Quartararo was the rapid degradation of his rear tire, which significantly impacted his ability to sustain his early speed. While the Yamaha M1 remains competitive over a single lap, it continues to struggle over race distance, especially on demanding circuits like Termas de Río Hondo.

"I don't understand why this track affects the tire so much," Quartararo admitted. "The tire overheats, and that makes me lose grip quicker than I expected. I really suffered in this sprint."

For the sprint race, Quartararo opted for a soft rear tire compound, prioritizing initial grip over longevity. This decision allowed him to launch aggressively, but it backfired as the tire wore out quicker than expected. With the full-length race spanning 25 laps, Yamaha must urgently find a solution to manage tire performance if they hope to keep Quartararo in contention.

Worst season start since MotoGP debut

After the first three rounds of the 2025 MotoGP season, Quartararo has only managed to collect four points in the championship standings, placing him 14th overall. This marks his worst start to a season since his MotoGP debut in 2019, highlighting the extent of Yamaha's struggles.

The French rider, who won the 2021 MotoGP title with Yamaha, has faced growing frustrations with the M1’s lack of competitiveness in race conditions. While he has shown flashes of speed, particularly in qualifying, the ongoing grip and rear tire wear issues continue to limit his potential on Sundays.

Honda's progress adds more pressure on Yamaha

Adding to Yamaha’s concerns is the noticeable improvement of their direct rival, Honda. Johann Zarco and Joan Mir demonstrated impressive form in the sprint, both finishing ahead of Quartararo and showcasing the strides Honda has made in bike development.

“They have improved a lot,” Quartararo admitted. “Zarco and Mir were really competitive in the sprint. If we don’t find a solution soon, it’s going to be a long season for us.”

With Honda showing signs of resurgence, Yamaha is now under increased pressure to respond. If the Japanese manufacturer cannot resolve its rear grip and tire management problems, Quartararo could face an even more challenging season than anticipated.

Yamaha must act fast to avoid further setbacks

As the main race approaches, Yamaha’s focus will be on optimizing tire strategy and race setup to mitigate the issues Quartararo encountered in the sprint. The team must work quickly to ensure the French rider can stay competitive over a full-length race without suffering another dramatic drop-off in pace.

For Quartararo, the goal remains clear: secure a strong result in Argentina and turn his season around before the gap to his rivals becomes insurmountable. However, with Yamaha still searching for answers, the road ahead looks increasingly difficult.