Fabio Quartararo has expressed appreciation for the shift in Yamaha's approach this season, even when the results haven’t met expectations.

In an effort to return and compete for victories, Yamaha has gradually embraced a more aggressive development strategy. With more testing freedom provided by the MotoGP concession system, the Japanese manufacturer rapidly introduced new parts, which were quickly integrated into the bikes of Quartararo and Alex Rins.

This marked a departure from Yamaha’s traditional approach to upgrades. Quartararo commented on these behind-the-scenes changes after a season where the M1 lacked the pace to finish on the podium.

“Of course, I expected [the bike] to be a little bit faster,” Quartararo admitted. “But in the first part of the season, more than the improvement on the bike, it was the way we changed work that, for me, was really important — to change the mentality.

“The concession also helped. When an engine worked [in testing], we immediately had it for the next race. We didn’t have to wait for the bike to go through extensive testing or safety checks. If it worked, we used it. The first half was like this.

“And in the second half, we made a significant step forward in a few areas, particularly with the electronics.”

Quartararo showed faith in Yamaha by signing a contract extension this year, committing to the team until the end of 2026. He emphasized that the mentality changes within the team were a key factor in his continued involvement.

“At least while I’m here, it will stay like this,” he said. “If not, I wouldn’t be able to continue. We just changed things this year.

“This new approach will carry into the coming years because we’ve seen it result in small but meaningful progress.”

Quartararo’s performances this season were praised by everyone, as he managed to extract the maximum potential from the bike. However, a fuel issue prevented him twice from finishing the grand prix, and while he crossed the line third in the sprint race at Jerez, a tyre pressure penalty cost him the podium.

Looking ahead to 2025, Yamaha will benefit from its new satellite team, along with Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira, who will ride for the team on factory contracts. Quartararo believes that small improvements, together with data from four bikes, will help Yamaha to soon challenge other top teams.

“Right now, I can only compare myself to my teammate because there’s just one Yamaha in the standings,” he explained. “Next year, having three other Yamahas with factory riders will be fantastic — more information, more data.

“This year was tough for us. We need to address a few key areas — not necessarily to win, because we’re still a long way from that, but to at least fight for top-five finishes.

“Step by step, I believe we’re getting there.”