Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo recently revealed he has had "first contacts" with other MotoGP teams, underscoring his desire to seek alternatives as his contract with the Japanese brand expires at the end of 2024. The statement comes amid a context where the Frenchman has been expressing his dissatisfaction with the competitiveness of the M1 for two years, particularly in the face of the rise of Ducati as the dominant manufacturer in MotoGP.
Despite his criticism of Yamaha, Fabio Quarterly recognizes the efforts made by the Japanese manufacturer to improve its performance, in particular by recruiting former engineers from Ducati what are Max Bartolini to the position of technical director and Marco Nicotra responsible for aerodynamics. However, Quarterly remains cautious about the effectiveness of these measures in the short term: “ there was an answer to what I asked, even if the result is perhaps not what I wanted ", declared the pilot of 24 years at Motorsport during the last day of testing at Sepang.
Fabio Quartararo: “ in the past it was said in the paddock that the Yamaha engineers were always the ones who went to the hotel first »
In his own words, Quarterly expresses its satisfaction with the efforts of Yamaha while emphasizing the need to see how things will evolve in the near future. He recognizes that Yamaha has taken a more aggressive approach to the way they work, showing their intention to get in tune with a winning factory like Ducati : « it's clear that I don't like being so far away and when I return to the box, I don't do it with a smile, but the way we work now is much more aggressive ", did he declare.
Then he adds: “ in the past it was said in the paddock that the Yamaha engineers were always the ones who went to the hotel first. Right now they are working very hard ". These statements not only reveal the frustrations of the 2021 World Champion with the performances of his Yamaha , but also his openness to exploring other options if satisfactory solutions are not found: “ I have already had initial contacts with other brands, but Yamaha will surely know. Now it's up to Yamaha to see what steps they take ". A posture facing his employer who will therefore have to learn through a voice other than his own the origin of these “contacts” which shows how fierce the competition is between MotoGP manufacturers to attract and retain the best riders.
