Considering the difficult phase that Yamaha is going through, Fabio Quartararo’s weekend in Assen isn’t going too badly. The 2021 MotoGP champion finished eighth at the finish line of the sprint race, after starting from the thirteenth spot on the grid. A couple of falls by those in front of him helped him, but he did well to get the maximum possible with his M1, 10″ 8 away from the dominant Pecco Bagnaia and 2″ from the fifth place of Fabio Di Giannantonio.
MotoGP Assen, Quartararo happy after the Sprint
Yamaha arrived at the TT Circuit with a new engine, which gave interesting results in the Valencia test but which did not show its full potential in Holland: “On this circuit – Quartararo told Motosan.es – the benefits are not seen. But at least I finished within reach of fifth and sixth place. The hope is to fight with them in the race. Even if I had gotten into Q2, I probably would have qualified eleventh or twelfth. We are stronger on the pace, but I think Austria and Misano will be the real litmus tests“.
The French rider reiterated that the aim is to bring the M1 back to having the strong points that had characterised it in the past and that have been lost in recent years: “We gained power, but we lost in other aspects. For example, mileage and agility. If you see our speed here, it’s not the same as in the first races. We are slower, but the progress in terms of aerodynamics is evident. Instead, we are still far away with electronics, which is certainly our weak point“.
Yamaha M1 too “physical”
Another problem with Yamaha is that it is too physically demanding: “I suffered a lot in the Sprint – admitted Fabio – because the arm is still a problem. The engine tested in Valencia was simpler, also in this respect. We’ll see how it goes in the race. But we need to focus and take a step forward“.
Quartararo continues to be confident for the future, he sees important changes that lead him to believe that there will certainly be a turning point: “One of the reasons why I stayed is also the revolution started in communication and working methods. We now work faster to get the necessary updates. We know where to go and the arrival of a satellite team will help us. Although it may not seem like it on TV, there have been improvements“.
Quartararo and Miller’s sentence
Jack Miller was asked about his future on Thursday and said he was quite certain that he will have a place on the 2025 MotoGP grid. In expressing this concept he also brought up the Frenchman: “A driver who came in behind me in the last Grand Prix signed for 12 million, so I’m sure I’ll find a job.“.
An unfortunate phrase on which Quartararo was questioned by DAZN España: “I don’t get involved in these things. I know what I am like as a driver and what my value is. I don’t want to talk about other drivers. I think it’s enough to keep your focus on yourself and not give value to what others say“. Game, set, match for him. He could have counterattacked, he would have had the arguments to do so, instead he responded like a gentleman. Someone should learn.
Photo: DAZN
