Quartararo Concedes the Pace of Japanese MotoGP Bikes is Humiliating Their Riders

After qualifying in the last place, Yamaha’s Quartararo only managed to place 21st in Saturday’s 10-lap sprint at Silverstone.

Throughout most of the race, all six riders on Japanese bikes languished in the final six positions, with only Franco Morbidelli slightly salvaging some pride by finishing 15th.

This continues the series of underwhelming performances that Japanese manufacturers have encountered throughout much of 2023.

When F1 Flow.com questioned if Quartararo felt that Yamaha and Honda riders were being humiliated by the performance of Japanese manufacturers, he responded affirmatively. “Absolutely,” Quartararo said. “It’s evident, it’s more the European bikes leading the pack rather than the Japanese ones, and it’s not just one Japanese rider lagging, but all of us. It’s clear that something isn’t right.

“Particularly in my case, starting that far behind, we need to radically alter our approach for tomorrow. We’ve got nothing to lose and my focus now is to strive for improvement, to secure a higher rank and make progress in the forthcoming races, which typically are our weakest part of the season.”

Quartararo attributed his low grid position to a “miscommunication” in Q1, when he returned to the pit after a mishap at Vale. He claimed that his mechanic was not immediately available for service, allowing him only one more flying lap.

Quartararo confessed that maintaining his motivation amid these challenges has become increasingly difficult, stating that his 2023 season is even more disappointing than his subpar Moto2 performances in 2017 and 2018.

“When asked if this is the lowest point in his career, he replied, “Yes, because in Moto2, I was consistently poor. I didn’t make significant progress in Moto2. I had a few good races and enjoyed my best moments of success.

“But I was never competing for the top three in the Moto2 championship. Moto2 was not a good fit for me, but that’s not the case in MotoGP.”

Morbidelli highlighted the sizable gap that emerged between Japanese and European brands in the latter half of the previous season, attributing Quartararo’s ability to cover up Yamaha’s issues to his “remarkable willpower.”

Takaaki Nakagami from LCR Honda, who finished just ahead of Quartararo in the sprint, expressed shock at the performance of the Japanese bikes. “It was a jolt to us. We [Honda] are struggling because we brake a lot at the angle, but the bike lacks response and drive,” Nakagami said.

“It was a huge shock that we finished 30 seconds behind in just a 10-lap race. This is something that needs to be addressed, as it’s not solely a rider issue.

“All the Honda riders were there. I’m quite disheartened by today’s performance and the results. The conditions today were extremely hard to adapt to, but our pace was too slow, and our performance was subpar.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Japanese MotoGP Bikes Performance

More about Japanese MotoGP Bikes Performance

• Quartararo’s MotoGP career
• Latest MotoGP news
• Moto2 Championship
• Yamaha’s MotoGP performance
• Honda’s MotoGP performance