All four Yamaha riders will receive the new engine upgrade in France – After a strong race in Jerez, Fabio Quartararo warns against too much euphoria
With pole position and second place in Jerez, Fabio Quartararo has set the stage for his home race in France this weekend. As in previous years, a record crowd is expected at Le Mans. French fans are known for their passionate atmosphere in the stands.
“Yes, it’s something very special,” enthuses Quartararo, “because unlike the Spanish riders, who have four home races, we only have this one.” Alongside the former world champion, Johann Zarco is also the focus of attention for French fans.
“Sometimes it’s a bit more pressure,” Quartararo admits, ”but over the years I’ve tried to learn to really enjoy the crowd and the support. As a rider, it’s one of the races where you really feel the passion of the people. It’s crazy.”
The Bugatti Circuit in Le Mans is considered a stop-and-go track. Quartararo has already proven this year that he can brake very hard and late. There are also some medium-speed corners that should suit the Yamaha M1.
Nevertheless, Quartararo wants to dampen expectations in the run-up to the race: “First of all, we have to look at it the same way we did in Jerez. We never expected to be on pole position. We never expected to finish on the podium.“
”Just because we were on the podium in Jerez doesn’t mean we’re now ready to fight for podium places on a regular basis. Jerez was a really good weekend – but let’s see how we start on Friday. Then we’ll set our goals for the weekend.”
New engine with slightly more top speed
Nevertheless, the impression that Yamaha has made progress has solidified in recent weeks. Following the positive Monday test after the Jerez race, there is now also a new development for Le Mans – a new engine specification for the inline four-cylinder.
“Yes, we are competing here with the engine we tested,” Yamaha director Paolo Pavesio confirmed to MotoGP.com. “This is another potentially positive step. We have been working on this for some time, and finally everything is coming together.”
“It’s not a revolution, but the bike we’re riding this year is very different from the one we raced last year. It looks similar, it’s based on the same concept, but we’ve worked on a lot of improvements.“
”Some of them – especially in the electronics area – immediately confirm that we’re on the right track. Others less so. And the engine seems to be another small but positive step forward.”
Nevertheless, Pavesio, like Quartararo, warns Yamaha fans not to get carried away: ”We have to be careful and not forget where we’ve come from. As I said, it’s a step-by-step development.”
And this new engine is another small step forward. “Yes,” says Quartararo. “Basically, it’s the same engine, but with a little more power at the top end of the rev range. That’s also something we really need.”
“Unfortunately, it’s only a very small step, but it’s still positive. The handling has remained the same, but we’ve improved the fifth and sixth gears a little. This helps us stay with the others better on the straights, especially on a long track.”
Returnee Oliveira finds a changed motorcycle
All four Yamaha riders will receive the new engine upgrade at Le Mans. This will be a particular challenge for returnee Miguel Oliveira, who was injured during the second race weekend in Argentina.
He had not yet finished getting to know the M1 before that. Since then, the Yamaha has been further developed. “We have an update to the chassis, an engine update, various changes to the deflection and damper settings,” Oliveira lists.
“In terms of geometry, we’re trying to start more or less the same way I rode in Argentina. But the bike is already different now. The feeling for the bike shouldn’t be completely different, though. So I’m assuming I’ll find my feet.”
Incidentally, the Pramac team will be competing with a special design on Sunday. Sponsor Alpine, the French sports car brand, is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. That’s why Le Mans is being used for a special paint job on the bike.
