Fabio Quartararo concluded the MotoGP tests in Qatar with the 14th best time. The Monster Energy Yamaha rider continued to work with the team on improving the YZR-M1, but there is still a long way to go.
The Frenchman explained to the press that there are two main areas to improve: ‘There is a lot of work to do, in many things. The rear grip is one of the main things, but especially turning and rear grip. I was behind [Enea] Bastianini in the Sprint simulation and I had the chance to see many things that they are doing much better than us, so is a great information for us’.
Regarding the progress made this Tuesday, Quartararo admitted it wasn’t considerable: ‘Progress? We didn’t make a lot today, but the track conditions were better. The thing is we can’t find really the limit quite… not easily, but there is no more in one certain moment of our bike. But I think that we have margin to improve. But we have to find these things that will make us gain some grip and don’t make the tyre drop that much’.
It’s undeniable that Yamaha needs to make considerable progress. The 2021 champion was asked if he is pleased with the pace at which these improvements are happening, replying: ‘I think that we need more time. There is the new engineer coming from the Reds [Ducati; Max Bartolini] that arrived six weeks ago. So we need more time, more testing. We need three/four months more to see the improvement of our bike, but hopefully we could feel it’.
And is Quartararo ready to wait that time before deciding his future? ‘It depends, we’ll see. But I believe a lot in the project, I think that Yamaha is doing… even if right now is really complicate, I think they are doing their best. And I’m not thinking about these three/four months of my future; I’m thinking about improving our bike’, he said.
This year, Yamaha has concessions that help accelerate the development of the bike. El Diablo commented: ‘It’s better with the concessions, of course. And having someone who has the idea what is the fastest bike of the paddock from last year, I think he knows and he needs more time to see where we can improve’.