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From the fight for the title to the fight for the points zone: this was Fabio Quartararo and Yamaha’s parable between 2022 and 2023. A downward trend due to many problems, including the lack of power of the M1’s in-line four-cylinder, and the lack of a satellite team, from which to draw data and motivations.
A situation that’s making the 2021 World Champion ponder, since he’s far from the position he’d like to be in. “I didn’t like the first part of the championship at all. More than just having fun, it was a nightmare. This year was difficult at the beginning, because you ask yourself a thousand questions. I wondered, ‘Am I still fast?’ You see the way you ride, the data from previous years, and you understand what you’re missing. Many things are missing. What we lack in terms of riding and what the bike is lacking can be seen from the data. These are things that you know as a rider, but you can also see them on the computer,” El Diablo explained in an interview with Motosan.
Despite Yamaha’s efforts, the M1 continues to be deficient in terms of maximum speed, preventing Quartararo from keeping up with the Ducatis.
“We gained one or two kilometers per hour, but the problem is that others did the same or even more. Even if we gain a little with the engine, the others gain too. That’s why I say we have to risk a lot to really change. I think the Yamaha, as far as the engine is concerned, has a much wider margin than the others, who are already ten kilometers per hour faster,” Fabio admitted. “I have an image of Rins overtaking Di Giannantonio on the straight, and he had the highest speed. It’s true that bikes are even faster now, but I think that, in terms of speed, we’re still very far from last year’s Suzuki.”
Circumstances that seem destined to drag on next year, given that the first feedback offered by the new four-cylinder was not the best, and the Iwata constructor will continue to line up onlt two motorcycles even in 2024.
“I think the last year the satellite team did well in was 2020, when Franky and I were on the team, and we were faster than the factory team. When I joined the factory team in 2021 and 2022, I don’t think it helped. We’re missing a satellite team with two riders who have a great desire to go as fast as possible and take my place on the official Yamaha, be eager to get on the official bike like I was when I was with Petronas. This was the number one goal,” Fabio recalled. “I think a rider like Dovi or Valentino at the end of his career is no longer as eager as he was ten years ago. I think that’s normal, but having a satellite team with two young guys, who are eager to take my place, makes you want to go faster.”
