Fabio Quartararo believes that his Yamaha MotoGP team is making progress after the Catalan Grand Prix, stating that “we are witnessing the emergence of positive signs.” Quartararo’s comments come after he managed to climb eight positions, starting from 17th on the grid to finish ninth in the race last weekend at the Spanish circuit. Yamaha introduced a new aerodynamic package in Barcelona, working tirelessly between races to improve their competitiveness. The reigning champion recently signed a two-term contract extension with the team and is confident that the Japanese manufacturer is gradually moving forward. “When you take small steps, naturally you want bigger steps as soon as possible,” he expressed. “However, in the last year and a half, we haven’t made any progress, so it’s great to finally see some light at the end of the tunnel. I hope we can make big strides in the near future.”
When asked about the characteristics of the new updates and whether they have improved the bike, Quartararo replied: “In my opinion, it helps with maneuverability and allows for slightly faster turns. It’s hard to determine if it’s a significant improvement because aerodynamics is not something that immediately stands out as vastly superior. This kind of aerodynamic package requires time to adapt and, in the future, will prove to be a substantial step forward. We are already looking forward to making more advances of this kind.”
Quartararo acknowledged that the new concession system grants Yamaha unlimited testing time, allowing him and his teammate Alex Rins to familiarize themselves with new components. “In my experience, the more laps you complete, the better you understand aerodynamics,” he explained. “Throughout the race weekend, I learn more about aerodynamics because I can identify the strengths of this specific package. It’s impossible to grasp these nuances in just five laps. That’s where the concessions come in. After the Mugello race, we will have two days of testing in Valencia. It will be a busy period, but it will be worth it. Yamaha has never operated this way before and has never generated so many ideas. We are not introducing new components just for the sake of it. We have already conducted numerous tests with different chassis and swingarms. We are aware of the root of the problem and the team is now fully focused on addressing this issue strategically.”
