Fabio Quattararo says Yamaha has made no progress after another grueling race at the Spanish Grand Prix. Quatararo scores points but takes little satisfaction from 14th place.
The 2021 world champion was in Q1 for the third time in four races on Saturday, passing P17. He was overtaken by Durcard rider Augusto Fernandez in difficult conditions but led the Yamaha riders fourth at full time.
Every quarter The P7 bagged in the Sprint, but its performance in the completely dry Grand Prix was a clearer reflection of where Yamaha stands. They are fifth in the constructors’ standings, just 14 points behind Honda with 25 points.
What did you make of Fabio Quattro’s attitude at Yamaha this season?
Are you sympathetic or do you feel he is being disrespectful?
At the Spanish Grand Prix, Fabio Quatararo’s Yamaha Regression Street
Contact the media including GPON After the race, Quatararo reiterated that Yamaha does not have a single distinguishing strength this year.
Their biggest problem is that the proposed solutions seem to open many problems.
Confident of getting the most out of the bike, Quattararo pointed to Yamaha’s decline over the past 12 months. He finished 2nd behind Alex Marquez in this race last year, but this time he was 29.5 seconds behind at the checkered flag.
Yamaha’s V4 engine is on the upswing compared to the inline-fours that competed last year, but factory riders have been frustrated despite the brand’s patience.
“I struggled with grip and power. Unfortunately, there is no place where I can be strong and feel comfortable. Braking, cornering, shorting, accelerating, braking is not comfortable.
“There are so many areas where we are troubled and suffering, even if we solve one, another will emerge.
“Personally, I’m not stupid, I know how to ride and how much we lose, it’s actually there to see. A year ago, I was on the podium, but today I’m 30 seconds behind.
‘High speed is the least of our fears’ – Fabio Quattararo on Yamaha Motor
Last time out in Austin, Yamaha’s problems were evident on the long back, and their riders were powerless to defend.
But Quartararo said his team could not attribute its lack of pace to the other four teams because they lacked cornering ability.
The Frenchman, who is set to join Honda in 2027 after his Yamaha contract expires, says he no longer has ‘fun’.
“We don’t have a new engine to test but top speed is the least of our concerns, especially on a track like this,” he said. “I want to rediscover my love of driving and have fun with motorcycles.”
Quatararo has his home race to look forward to in at least two weeks, although a repeat of last year’s pole position doesn’t rule out miraculous events.
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