Quartararo ‘not as comfortable, but pace is there’

Rain may have prevented him from posting as many laps with Yamaha’s 2020 engine as he’d have liked, but Fabio Quartararo was consoled by his pace over two days at the MotoGP Jerez test, concluding “we have it.”

The Frenchman decided against taking any unnecessary risks in intermittent conditions in Andalusia on Tuesday and posted just 26 laps while setting the fifth quickest time.

This year’s stand out rookie performer then admitted to not feeling as comfortable aboard Yamaha’s new motor as he did with the ’19 version. Still, his speed aboard used tyres was frightening.

“Just when I wanted to start to really work on the bike it started to rain,” he said. “I did only one lap but it was raining so it was quite difficult. Unfortunately today was not the best day to try.

“We saw that it rained a little, then it stopped and then there was a big shower. Unfortuantely we couldn’t test really well today. Now we need to enjoy the time and come back in Malaysia.

“for me there was no point where it was really wet. It was helpful to ride. For sure we will continue riding. Honestly it’s more dangerous now than it would have been if it was raining like hell.

“So this something that we don’t need to take a risk now. We prefer to just test the engine in this condition. It was OK. So I’m happy about that.”

How does the new engine differ from the ’19 spec? “It’s different power delivery, let’s say,” he explained. “Maybe it is more smooth. But it’s difficult to explain. You see it more in the data than in my feeling.

“But for me the lap time we did also this morning with 28 laps on the tyre I made a 38.1s. That means we are riding really well. But we are not feeling so comfortable like we were with the other bike. So this is something that we need to work on and hope to feel better about.

“I don’t want people to get angry with me, especially at the back of the garage. So this is what I can say. But of course it’s not in a bad way. The most important thing is the pace, and the pace we have it. The most important thing that I can say is working on the power delivery that is really important for my feeling.”

On the news that Marc Marquez will undergo surgery on Wednesday to aid a problematic right shoulder, which worsened in a qualifying spill in Malaysia, caused by him shadowing Quartararo, he opined, "I mean, in Malaysia if I would have had the possibility to follow him, I’d have followed him. Every single moment you are behind Marc you can learn something.

“For me it was an accident. For me it was quite dangerous for everybody that slowed down. Three corners later I nearly made a high-side. So there the tyre cooled down really quickly, even in Malaysia where it is hot. I don’t know if he will have surgery but if he does, get well soon, as fast as possible.”

So he wants the reigning champion back and riding as soon as possible? “You know, if I say yes, they will say, ‘He speaks too much!’ So for me I prefer to win on Sunday than on Saturday.

“But it’s always good to win, not this game, but this pole position was really important. Of course in Malaysia it was even more important for the team.”