Quartararo ‘not feeling any higher’ on 2024 Yamaha MotoGP bike however sees potential

Quartararo heads into the brand new season on the again of Yamaha’s first winless MotoGP marketing campaign in 20 years, because the Iwata marque misplaced extra floor to its European rivals within the improvement race final 12 months.

Quartararo had beforehand given a lukewarm assessment when he bought to pattern its 2024 prototype at Valencia final 12 months, having felt that the enhancements it made on aerodynamics have been undermined by a scarcity of progress on the engine aspect.

The Frenchman’s evaluation wasn’t very completely different when he was among the many choose few race riders to check a 2024 bike on the Sepang circuit final week, a part of MotoGP’s new system of concessions that at the moment advantages Yamaha and Honda.

Whereas admitting that there’s scope to make vital strides, the 2021 champion steered his feeling on the Yamaha M1 wasn’t any higher than what it was final 12 months, when he might rating simply three podium finishes in 20 grands prix.

“In the meanwhile I do not actually really feel higher,” he mentioned. “I really feel the potential is there. 

“From lap 21 we did not make a time assault, however we did after all with new tyres. Now we have pushed at our 100%. 

“And from lap 22, Day 1, I made 58.5 so it is already fairly quick. Now we now have to, throughout these three days, step up within the time assault, that’s already below plan to be higher.

“An important [part of the race weekend] is Friday afternoon. To be already within the prime 10 on Friday afternoon, 70% of the job is finished. 

“After which after all for qualifying I believe we now have to discover a resolution on my driving fashion and my bike, I believe it is not solely on one aspect, and we’re gonna discover it.”

A scarcity of engine grunt has been Yamaha’s greatest weak spot in MotoGP in the previous few years, making it troublesome for Quartararo to make progress by the sector every time he did not qualify close to the entrance.

The Frenchman feels Yamaha must make progress on the electronics aspect to get extra efficiency out of the M1’s engine, describing the facility supply of the present package deal as “fairly aggressive”.

He mentioned: “I am certain [the engine is] higher. However I believe we now have to work quite a bit on the electronics to enhance the character of the engine as a result of it’s nonetheless fairly aggressive and we now have to…we now have the potential however we aren’t utilizing it. 

“So I believe with the electronics we’re a bit of bit distant, not solely within the improvement of the engine, however we now have to seek out the most effective electronics for this engine and apply it to our bike.”

2024 marks the ultimate season of Quartararo’s two-year contract with Yamaha and he has beforehand made it clear that the Japanese producer has a restricted period of time at its disposal to persuade him to remain for one more time period.

However the Frenchman was coy when requested once more about his future at Sepang, saying no determination has been made relating to the place he might be racing in 2025.

“Now we have to be intelligent,” he mentioned. “I am 100% targeted on the job. I believe they’re doing huge steps in comparison with the earlier years. 

“So, after all, for my future I must take my time. Okay, after all, I believe it should be a very necessary transfer, I’d say.”

Quartararo and new team-mate Alex Rins, who replaces the underperforming Franco Morbidelli at Yamaha, will once more be in motion on this week’s Sepang take a look at from 6-8 February.

The brand new season will start on 10 March in Qatar following one other pre-season take a look at on the Losail circuit.