Fabio Quartararo remains stuck in the Yamaha dilemma: good qualifying sessions, sobering races – After Portimao, he speaks openly about frustration, learning processes, and his limits
After the Grand Prix in Portimao, a visibly disappointed Fabio Quartararo is struggling with the ongoing difficult situation at Yamaha. The Frenchman, who has only been on the podium once this season – in Jerez – is frustrated but composed after finishing sixth.
“It doesn’t feel great,” Quartararo admits openly. “Of course, I’m a rider who wants to win and who believes he can fight for much more. But unfortunately, the best we could achieve here was sixth place.”
“Of course, I feel that my potential is much greater. But you have to accept that our bike is still not as competitive as the others. We are working hard to achieve better performance.”
Yamaha with too little grip and power
Portugal thus fit the pattern of his season so far: good qualifying sessions, but in the race he lacked the ability to hold his position or even attack.
Quartararo explains what he struggles with the most: “On some tracks, I can push a little harder, but basically it’s always the same. I’m just defending. That’s because of our low grip and lack of engine power. We’re never really in a position to attack anyone properly.”
However, the 2021 world champion also sees a positive side to this: he says he has learned to deal with such difficulties better in recent years. “In the past, in 2021 or 2022, I just rode with the problems without really managing them,” the Yamaha rider recalls.
Quartararo: I’m a better rider now
“Now I know exactly what problems I have and can still ride over them or get around them. I’m sure I’m a better rider today than I used to be.”
Despite everything, the frustration remains high: “Of course, it’s not a good feeling when you know you’ve given your maximum and still can’t get any further forward.” But Quartararo is trying to see the positive side: he has learned to stay calm in difficult moments and to keep working hard. It remains to be seen whether this patience and development will soon be rewarded with better results. For the future, all hope at Yamaha rests on the new V4 engine.
