MotoGP Sepang Official Testing
Yamaha halts Sepang MotoGP running while investigating M1 engine issue
The Japanese manufacturer has paused all track activity after failing to identify the cause of the problem that forced Fabio Quartararo to stop on Tuesday
Oriol Puigdemont
Edited: Feb 4, 2026, 8:37 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
Yamaha has decided to suspend all on-track activity during the second day of the Sepang MotoGP test while it works to determine the cause of the issue that forced Fabio Quartararo to stop on Tuesday.
The Frenchman crashed at Turn 5 of the Malaysian circuit on the opening day of the official test and fractured the middle finger on his right hand. Despite the swelling and heavy bleeding, he returned to the track later in the afternoon, but his M1 stopped at Turn 2 due to an engine problem — specifically with the V4 power unit that Yamaha has focused its development on since last year.
Hours later, Quartararo decided to pack up and return to Spain. He is due to undergo medical checks in Barcelona on Wednesday, where doctors will establish a recovery plan aimed at getting him to the next test in Buriram, just over two weeks away, in the best possible condition.
That same evening, Yamaha’s engineers investigated the nature of the problem but were unable to find an answer. This raised serious concerns to the point that the manufacturer opted to suspend all track activity until a clear explanation is found. As a result, no Yamaha riders took to the circuit on Wednesday morning while the factory in Japan and the race team on site worked together to shed light on the situation.
Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
“We are still trying to understand what caused the problem that affected Fabio yesterday afternoon [Tuesday],” Yamaha team manager Massimo Meregalli told Motorsport.com.
“It’s a safety issue. Once we understand the origin of it, we will go back out — whether that’s today or tomorrow. We are waiting for the green light.”
Meregalli denied that the failure was in any way related to Quartararo’s crash and played down the overall impact the setback would have on Yamaha’s test programme.
“The problem has absolutely nothing to do with Fabio’s crash,” he stressed, while underlining the importance of the work completed during last week’s three-day shakedown.
“To put a percentage on it, I would say we have completed 80% of the programme we had planned. We have the base of the bike. Set-up is what we would have worked on over these two days,” the former Italian rider explained.
“Probably Toprak is the only rider who hasn’t yet been able to try what was on his schedule. All the others had the same material,” the Yamaha executive concluded.
Photos from Sepang test - Day 1
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
Sepang test - Day 1, in photos
MotoGP
56
Read Also:
MotoGPWhy KTM riders see encouraging signs after first day of Sepang test
MotoGPJorge Martin explains post-season surgeries: 'I couldn’t even lift a water bottle'
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Jorge Martin explains post-season surgeries: 'I couldn’t even lift a water bottle'
Next article MotoGP Sepang test: Honda leads rain-hit Day 2 as engine issues sideline Yamaha
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Oriol Puigdemont
With the Qatar MotoGP Grand Prix over, it is time to heal the wounds
MotoGP
MotoGP
Qatar GP
18 h
With the Qatar MotoGP Grand Prix over, it is time to heal the wounds
Jorge Martin confirms he will travel to Qatar to try to race
MotoGP
MotoGP
Malaysian GP
Jorge Martin confirms he will travel to Qatar to try to race
More from
Yamaha Factory Racing
Carlos Ezpeleta: Qatar GP “noise” left MotoGP unnecessarily exposed
MotoGP
MotoGP
Qatar GP
Carlos Ezpeleta: Qatar GP “noise” left MotoGP unnecessarily exposed
Alex Marquez undergoes surgery on his right shoulder and begins recovery at home
MotoGP
MotoGP
Qatar GP
Alex Marquez undergoes surgery on his right shoulder and begins recovery at home
How MotoGP teams and riders are organising themselves for their arrival in Qatar
MotoGP
MotoGP
Malaysian GP
How MotoGP teams and riders are organising themselves for their arrival in Qatar
Latest news
IndyCar 2026 season review: ECR
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 11 h
IndyCar 2026 season review: ECR
Toto Wolff reflects on Mercedes’ non-title years: ‘We weren’t complete losers’
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
11 h
Toto Wolff reflects on Mercedes’ non-title years: ‘We weren’t complete losers’
Renger van der Zande moves to IMSA’s LMP2 class full-time with Tower Motorsports
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 11 h
Renger van der Zande moves to IMSA’s LMP2 class full-time with Tower Motorsports
Nick Sanchez will compete for 2027 NASCAR Truck title with McAnally-Hilgemann
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Homestead
11 h
Nick Sanchez will compete for 2027 NASCAR Truck title with McAnally-Hilgemann
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe