Fabio Quartararo slotted in between a tide of red Ducati and black Aprilia, as often happens, thanks to his sixth time in the combined standings at the end of the first day of practice. The Yamaha rider was not the only “outsider” in the top positions, also given the exploits of Jack Miller with the KTM who was able to hoist himself to the top of the timesheets, but in a situation of technical inferiority, for now the crucial element is to find consistency in terms of performance and results.
2023 started under the sign of the Ducatis, which dominated all the winter tests, while their opponents immediately found themselves forced to chase them, including Yamaha, which worked hard on some particular solutions to try to regain a lost competitiveness .
News which, however, did not always give the desired effect, so much so that in the final stages of the pre-season tests, the Japanese team chose to take a step back by returning to some 2022 solutions in terms of aerodynamics and adjustments, while the The engine updated to 2023 specification.
Although Quartararo is confident step by step that Yamaha can return to fight for the top positions, at the moment the situation is known, with a bike that is not yet at the level of its main rivals. Sixth place left a half-smile on the Frenchman’s face, aware that he was already at the limit.
“Happy but not happy. I did my best, I’m 3 tenths behind, but I’m on the limit. I don’t know where I can improve. We certainly have about a tenth, a tenth and a half to improve, but I’m sure if you ask the other riders, it will be the same. I did my best,” explained the transalpine.
“Right now, it’s not enough, because we are sixth. I could have improved, but it’s always easy to say ‘ah, I could have improved’, but in the end I’m still sixth. It’s not enough at the moment, but we’ll work to make it enough.”
Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Compared to 2022, top speeds have improved slightly but, even in this case, not enough to consistently fight on par with Ducati. Quartararo didn’t want to identify a single weak point, rather asserting that, at the moment, it is necessary to take a leap forward with the whole package, continuing development throughout the season.
“It’s the whole package. When I’m on the bike, I feel ok, but when I look at the others, there are differences in some areas. We have to work, I’m pushing Yamaha to continue development, because normally, as soon as we start the season like last year, developments end there, we don’t advance like other brands”
“Let’s think of Ducati last year, who were working not for the following season, but for the same year. Right now there are eight Ducatis and four Aprilias and if we don’t improve, half a tenth can change many things. We have to recover little by little,” added the Japanese manufacturer’s rider.
Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
From a personal point of view, Quartararo didn’t hide that he felt stronger and with more experience behind him but, above all, he underlined how the crucial element was a change of mentality in the way he approached the season. No longer frustrated by the lack of updates, but rather focused on providing his maximum support to the team, although the reality of the facts tells, however, that at the moment there are much faster opponents.
“I have more experience, but the most important element is the way I approach myself. Last year I started the season and I was very frustrated, because Yamaha hadn’t made big improvements for 2022. Right now there are some improvements; are not enough, but we are working on it. I certainly see myself stronger, but there are eight or twelve bikes that are faster. But we’re trying.”
On Saturday there will be the historic first “sprint” of the MotoGP, even if in reality Quartararo believes he can have something more for Sunday’s race: “Sunday’s race is better for us, because on the grid, compared to us , in some curves, there are important differences. I think we can do better in the race than in the sprint.”
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