Fabio Quartararo teases: “Interesting things at Yamaha, project going to be huge”

Fabio Quartararo has revealed that a “great meeting” with Yamaha engineers last time in Portimao convinced him to re-sign for the next two MotoGP seasons.

That meeting included some “really interesting things” that are “still confidential” but the Frenchman claims “the project is going to be huge”.

The 2021 world champion surprised many by extending his Yamaha deal so early in the season, despite little to show for results in the opening rounds and rumoured interest from Aprilia, which won the Portimao Sprint.

“Of course we talked to different manufacturers,” Quartararo acknowledged at COTA on Thursday, without naming any specific brands.

“And of course, the decision was not as easy. But in Portugal we had a great meeting with the top management of Yamaha engineers about the project from now until the end of the year, and also 2025 and 2026.

“There are some really interesting things that are still confidential in Yamaha. New people. The project is going to be huge. So the decision was made in Portugal.”

The Frenchman added: “It was great because in Portugal [Yamaha gave me] lots of information that made me want to stay. First of all for the project Yamaha is building for the future, starting from [this] January.

“And of course, like I said before, some confidential project for the future that is going to be huge.”

While the ‘confidential project’ remains a mystery, Quartararo did name check new Yamaha technical director Massimo Bartolini, who arrived in January, as well as Yamaha’s sizeable development budget and loyalty.

“The budget in terms of improving the bike is really high in Yamaha. And with the arrival of Massimo Bartolini from Ducati, I think he brings us some really good ideas.

“Yamaha is investing a lot in the project and also this is my sixth year so it's loyalty from them also.”

Quartararo took podiums from his first MotoGP season, on a satellite Yamaha at the now defunct Petronas team, in 2019. The Frenchman made history by winning races as a satellite M1 rider in 2020, then enjoyed instant title success after being promoted to the factory team in 2021.

While Quartararo also led the 2022 standings, he and Yamaha were subsequently overwhelmed by Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia. The M1’s most recent victory remains Quartararo’s win at the Sachsenring, just before the summer break in 2022.

The 24-year-old has a best finish of seventh from the opening rounds of this season, in Qatar and Portimao, and is eleventh in the early world championship standings.

Quartararo admits it will take time to transform the M1 into a competitive machine again but thinks 2025 is a realistic aim.

“Yamaha can make [progress] quickly, but not super quick because we need a little bit of time, but I think already next year it will be quite different.

“Talking about 2024, it will not be easy because I think we started a little bit too late, but already we will see some steps forward coming in the [halfway stage of the] season and hopefully next year we can be fighting much more in the front.”

Quizzed on his past criticism of Yamaha and if he has the patience to wait much longer for results, the Frenchman replied:

“This year was not complaints, it was basically [just saying] the reality. But I think this project is more [about] the future than the present. It started already from January, with the engineers coming from Ducati. And I think it will take time.

“Of course, last year especially, I complained a lot. But this year, since Yamaha made this big move, different mentality - the way they are working right now is completely different.

“But the reality today is we are still very, very far from the top guys. We need more time to be closer, so it's not really complaints that I'm saying right now, but just the way we are right now.”

Alex Rins, winner at COTA last season for LCR Honda, replaced Franco Morbidelli as Quartararo’s team-mate this year. Rins’ initial contract is only for the 2024 campaign.