Quartararo: Yamaha can't “think too much” about MotoGP power deficit

A top-speed deficit has been Yamaha’s Achilles heel for some time in MotoGP, with that problem persisting with the first prototype of the 2022 M1 at the two-day Jerez test in November.

Back then, Quartararo said the bike hadn’t evolved much from its 2021 counterpart – and once again said after ending the first day of pre-season testing sixth-fastest that the package was “nothing really different”.

Yamaha’s top speed was still lacking relative to the likes of Ducati, who clocked a speed of 336.4km/h – while Quartararo admitted his 332.3km/h “wasn’t real” as he braked after the speed trap zone, with the next fastest Yamaha of Franco Morbidelli at 325.3km/h.

With Yamaha team manager Massimo Meregalli admitting the marque’s 2022 bike isn't a “revolution” as that is not its philosophy, Quartararo batted away suggestions that he was disappointed by the minimal progress and feels he now just has compensate on his power deficit in other ways.

“Let’s say it’s something that of course I wanted more horsepower, but at the end we can’t invent it in the engine right now,” the Frenchman remarked.

“But we need to be fast and don’t think too much about that.

“If we have it, it’s better. But if we don’t have it, it’s not useful to say that the bike has no power.

“If you have no power, you adapt yourself, like I did in the past. So, if we need to adapt we’re going to adapt.”

Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Quartararo also explained that he needed to improve on his riding in general in Malaysia, having not been quick enough through the corners – and thus not utilising the strong point of the M1 – and too aggressive under braking.

“[I’m] happy with the pace, but with the time attack, unfortunately just before, I was doing laps with a medium tyre of 26 laps,” he added.

“And to make a step from a 26-lap medium to a new soft, I didn’t take the benefit of the soft. Tomorrow we will have more chance to have a time attack.

“But in general I need to improve my riding because after a few months I was not doing enough corner speed, which is the strong point of our bike. So, I need to improve my riding.

“For me after these three months, I think I need to focus a little bit tomorrow on riding well, and then I will have things to try tomorrow that will be really interesting.

“At the moment, it’s nothing really different. So, let’s see what we can do tomorrow.

“About my riding, I was really aggressive on the brakes and not fast enough on the fast corners where I need to make all my speed.”