Yamaha's ordeal continues, Quartararo: "The same lap times as six years ago

Fabio Quartararo comments on a first MotoGP day at Jerez with nothing to cheer about...

Opening day at Jerez and the Yamahas are sadly stuck at the back. Even though the team management insists everyone’s motivation remains unchanged, the riders are sending different signals. Fabio Quartararo, the best of the Iwata brand, finished 17th, one second behind leader Alex Marquez. The 2021 MotoGP champion immediately tried a new frame, quickly scrapped to return to the one used up to Austin, and admitted that in terms of updates and testing “we really have nothing.” The atmosphere at Yamaha remains very tense, with a V4 gamble that hasn’t paid off and all the guys, both in the factory team and at Pramac, continuing to endure an odyssey at every GP.

Fabio Quartararo now seems resigned to continue the ordeal with Yamaha until the end of the season, when (according to the rumors so far) he should end the partnership to embrace the Honda 2027 project. “I wasn’t expecting much, maybe slightly closer lap times, a second at Jerez is a lot. These are practically the same lap times I was doing six years ago. This is unacceptable,” the Frenchman stated bluntly, as reported by our colleagues at Paddock-GP. He then admitted, in terms of feeling, that “It’s like it’s the first time I’ve gotten on a bike. I’m not having fun, I don’t feel anything.”

He already sees it as very tough for both the Sprint and especially for Sunday’s race. “We’re wearing the tires a lot because the bike doesn’t turn well and now we’re sliding with the rear.” Augusto Fernandez is also on track as a wild card, trying to lend a hand to a project that seems to be sinking further. “I think he’s mainly here to do some laps, to try to understand the bike better.” Adding that “We’re all doing tests. Jack and I tried a frame, I think Alex tried something else. We’re getting ahead with Monday’s tests.” Resignation prevails, as if there were no way out. And it’s only the first day at Jerez...