MotoGP, Portimao J2 Test, Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha/3) relieved: “we were completely lost until yesterday but today we found the right direction”

It was a Fabio Quartararo in a radically changed mood compared to the day before who was taking stock of his final day of testing of this MotoGP off-season in Portimao. The Yamaha official has apparently partly reconciled with an M1 which will appear on the starting line of the Portuguese Grand Prix with a 2022 aerodynamic package and a 2023 engine. However, there is still work to be done before going for an intractable Bagnaia on his Ducati. And it’s not the rear wing that appeared furtively nor the sprint races, the simulation of which was not entirely satisfactory, which should help…

fabio quartararo could not achieve a fast lap with new tires since Sepang, and it seems that in this Sunday in Portimao the light has finally appeared in the official box Yamaha . His third place attests to it, there is much better on that side with the M1. “ Today we managed to take a huge step forward » we read from the 2021 MotoGP World Champion on speedweek. And he explains the reason “ We partly used last year's aerodynamic package and an old set-up. It worked well and we could see a little where the problems were ».

He adds : " It was a really good day, I'm one with the bike now. I'm still missing a few things in terms of sensation, but I've never ridden 1'38.3 on this slope before. It's a very good time ". Morale has therefore returned a few days before the launch of hostilities on the same route in the Algarve. However, the tricolor also knows how to keep reason… “ If I hadn't seen Bagnaia's time, I would say that we were back in the race. But we are definitely in a better position than we were a year ago He says.

Fabio Quartararo: “my mechanics also said it didn't look good... We hope it doesn't work"

« It's good to see we've made progress. We're not where I want to be yet. But we have taken a big step. Additionally, the grip in testing is different from that in races. Hope this helps us » adds the teammate Franco Morbidelli which for its part has not made the expected progress since only 19th.

« The preseason was difficult because we were completely lost until yesterday. But today we found the right direction. The first races will be intense. Because we're still missing something » is already planning fabio quartararo who, however, was not completely reassured about the new format with the sprint event: “ It didn't go so bad, my pace was pretty good. I drove with soft tires. In the first rounds, I was too conservative. Honestly, I could have pushed harder because my last lap was 1'38.8 with eight laps on the tires. It was not bad ».

The Frenchman finishes on the unique rear wing which ended up growing on his M1. A part that he admits to finding quite unsightly and apparently his mechanics too… “ You don't feel it as a driver. I don't know if it's better or worse. I don't think we will use it in the first races. My mechanics also said it didn't look good... We hope it doesn't work ».

MotoGP, Portimao J2 Test: times

Credit classification motogp.com