Fabio Quartararo still lost in Jerez: "It feels like it's the first time I've ever ridden a motorcycle."

The observation is stark for fabio quartararo at the end of Friday's Spanish Grand Prix. Only 17th in practice, more than a second behind Álex Márquez's fastest time, the Frenchman was never able to get close to the top 10. Beyond the poor result, it's the lack of prospects that is most concerning. When asked if improvements are planned, he gives a response that is becoming all too familiar: "We have absolutely nothing." Despite several attempts throughout the day, Yamaha could not find a solution to make up for lost time.

Among the options explored was a new chassis, introduced earlier than expected. Fabio Quartararo and Jack Miller were the two riders who tested this new model, initially sent for Monday's Official Test. “I wanted to try it today because I thought we had nothing to lose. And it was worse, so we went back to the standard chassis. [The feeling wasn't] really the same. In any case, I really didn't like it at all. Jack was more or less okay with it, but we decided to put two bikes back on, like in Austin.” Another technical element discarded, which further illustrates Yamaha's current difficulties in finding concrete improvements.

Worrying benchmarks

The gap at Jerez is all the more striking as it is accompanied by an unusual comparison for Quartararo. "I was perhaps expecting slightly closer times, because we know that a second is huge." But above all: "Those are pretty much the times I was getting 6 years ago. So it's strange." The Frenchman does not hide his discomfort with this situation. "It's unacceptable on my part. To be posting the same times as 6 years ago, it's mentally strange to see that we haven't improved." Especially since the technological progress has been very real since then: "Six years ago, we didn't have the ride height devices (Passenger Height Corrector - Ed.) which save us a lot of time here." In this context, the lack of progress is difficult to explain.

Beyond the lap times, it's primarily the feeling on the bike that's the problem. Quartararo describes a total loss of sensation, especially at the front. "It's not even that I don't have any feeling, it's that it feels like it's the first time I've ever ridden a motorcycle." A strong statement, which sums up his current difficulties. "I'm not having fun, I don't feel anything. I'm pushing, but I don't know what's going to happen." This lack of confidence has direct consequences on performance. "It's manageable on one lap. But in the race, I know I can't keep up the pace. We use the tires a lot because the bike doesn't turn and the rear end slides out." A structural problem that seriously complicates the rest of the weekend.

Finally, the outlook remains limited in the short term. The chassis tested this Friday was "the biggest room" Yamaha's initial plan, and its swift rejection, leave few immediate alternatives. Yamaha still appears to be in an exploratory phase, with scattered testing ahead of Monday's tests. "I think we're anticipating the tests a little bit.", explains the Frenchman. Meanwhile, the reality is clear: 17th this Friday, Fabio Quartararo will have to go through Q1, with no guarantee of reversing the trend on a circuit where the gap remains particularly significant.

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