Fabio Quartararo: ‘What we need is more than just set-up’

Fabio Quartararo has shown very good race pace, enough to contend for big points, however, concerns in time attack mode have the Yamaha rider worried about his MotoGP chances again in 2024.

Quartararo has not been able to match many of the Ducati riders at Sepang over one lap, and as a result was left admitting that the same problems exist.

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“Basically, it is more or less the same,” began Quartararo. “I was happy when I did the 57.5s but this is the limit. We are far.

“We find the limit quite easily because I made four laps in 57.5s/57.6s - there is no one lap that is clearly better than the other one.

“This is a little bit difficult to understand. I know where we need to improve but how, I don’t know.”

Looking forward to the final pre-season test at Qatar, Quartararo is unsure if they’re will be new parts to try.

What he does expect is a lot of ideas to be generated as they look to close the gap.

Quartararo said: “Some new parts I don’t know but we will have some new ideas. Today, from 10 in the morning until 2:30 we never stopped.

“The set-up changed from one exit to the next and we found some positives and negatives and some direction.

“For the engineers it’s good to see what bike we have, what the positives and negatives are and what we need for Qatar. But what we need is more than just set-up [changes].

Problems for Quartararo remain in terms of electronic and mechanical grip, which he feels is the cause of his struggles over one lap.

“I think it’s both,” said the Frenchman. “Both are the problem. Not the problem but the solution to be in [the battle] for 4-8.

“This is what we have to find and I think this is really important. On the pace, we are fast like last year. We are not in the top but we have a good chance.

“But if we start P11 then you stay there no matter what your pace is. This is why we are tyring to find a solution with grip to improve.”