Fabio Quartararo outlines Yamaha’s top three priorities to improve M1

Fabio Quartararo has explained how Yamaha are developing the M1 after another progressive session.

Quartararo was sixth-fastest in Friday practice for the Indonesian MotoGP, the highest-placed non-Ducati rider.

It follows an Emilia-Romagna MotoGP where only running out of fuel in the final moments cost Quartararo a season-best result.

He said in Mandalika: “We are always near the bottom, with power.

“We went back to take a step forward. Now, we have good handling on the bike.

“Now we have to find power while keeping the same agility. This is the top job for Yamaha.

“Priority No 1 is the grip, then power, then electronics.”

Quartararo was asked which of the Yamaha frames he tried on Friday in Indonesia, but the answer was not so simple.

“I have tried so many frames! On ‘bike one’ I had the ‘Misano one’ frame that we kept,” he explained.

“At ‘Misano two’ we tried one which I didn't like so we went back to the standard.

“Today, we tried a new one. Still it was not working. So we changed to the standard.

“We are back to the standard from ‘Misano one’.

“In Japan we may have another one.

“I said to the team ‘when you know the name of the spec and the frame, it is not so great!’

“But this is what we need right now, to make a step.”

Although Quartararo is buoyed by Yamaha’s progress, he has identified the next round as the true indication.

“Really happy, we have made some steps. But everyone was super close,” he said.

“At least we were closer to the top than the bottom, so this is positive.

“To be realistic, if we are in Q2 in Japan from the Friday, it means we have made a step.”