Fabio Quartararo revealed that the challenges he faced with the turning capabilities of the 2024 Yamaha bike led him to suffer from arm pump during the MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix last weekend. This added to the Frenchman’s troubles after a difficult start to the 2024 season, where he managed to secure a consolation point with a 15th place in the main race. Quartararo took advantage of several front riders’ crashes in the Sprint to secure third place, but was later demoted to fifth due to a violation of the minimum tire pressure rule. The 2024 Yamaha bike has been struggling with turning throughout the season, and the 2021 champion explained that he couldn’t ride at high speed during the race due to arm pump.
“I had a good start from the beginning, and in the sprint, I was also lucky that everything went well at the front,” Quartararo said. “I also had a great start in the main race, but I couldn’t make progress. We faced difficulties with rear grip from the first lap, and I struggled a lot with turning. I had to put a lot of force on the bike when braking, and that caused problems in my arm. So, from the middle of the race to the end, I had to slow down. When you’re riding with tension and stiffness in the bike, it’s not ideal. So, in the last 10 laps, I was just cruising because my arm wasn’t in proper condition.”
This is not the first time Quartararo has dealt with arm pump. He faced similar difficulties at the same circuit in 2021, which resulted in his drop in the standings. Quartararo mentioned that he was not surprised by the recurrence of these problems, as the bike caused milder cases of arm pump earlier in the season.
“No, it wasn’t a surprise,” he added. “It has happened many times this year, but it never really reached a limit. When you feel good on the bike, you don’t experience it. But when you don’t feel good, it shows up. I’ve had it in some races, but not to this extent and not this early. But it’s part of our challenge. Today, we tested the bike a bit in the morning, thinking it would be better. But it ended up being worse. That’s what happened.”
Despite the 2024 Yamaha not being suitable for the Jerez circuit, Quartararo knows that when going to Le Mans, the bike will allow him to “feel better on that track.”
“It’s always about improving the bike,” he said when asked if there was anything he could do about the arm pump. “When you feel good, everything is perfect. When you’re riding and pushing the bike too much, this track is one of the worst for us because turning is a weakness, along with grip, and on this track, you need both. So, I hope Le Mans will be better because it’s more about braking, and I will feel better on that track.”
