Fabio Quartararo has been Yamaha’s best rider for the 2023 season. The Frenchman is still at an unfortunate P10 in the Championship standings due to the massive pace difference between the European Manufacturers and the Japanese factory. Even after winning the Rider’s Championship with Quartararo in 2021, Yamaha has struggled to compete against Ducati, Aprilia, and KTM and has increasingly become a rare sight in the Parc Ferme.

Quartararo, who’s slated to ride the Yamaha in 2024, commented on how optimistic fans can be about the M1’s performance next season. When asked if one winter would suffice for Yamaha to close the gap in 2024, Quartararo responded [as reported by Crash.net], 

We need 15 winters to really be like them. But like I said, to be like them for me is not the goal. The goal is to get closer. Because every year we make maybe one step in one area, but we lose two steps in another.

The 2021 World Champion also reminisced about his older Yamaha – the one that was famous for its handling capabilities as he compared it to the new bike. The Frenchman concluded by speaking about his goals as he set eyes on improvement rather than results.

The chassis that we had in the past was magical, you could do whatever you wanted with the bike. The bike was slow, but the bike was turning like hell. Now the bike is slow but it's not turning. Every year, the gap is bigger and bigger, even if in some areas we improve. But we have to reduce the gap to the others [for 2024]. This is my main goal.

Honda and Yamaha – are the Japanese Manufacturers passing the baton to the European factories?

Honda is often termed as the king of Modern MotoGP. The Company has amassed 25 constructor Titles (no other manufacturer has won more) in the sport’s history. The Japanese duo Yamaha and Honda have been the frontrunners since the 1980s. Another Japanese manufacturer, Suzuki, shockingly withdrew from the sport at the end of last season. It makes us question whether the forces that led to Suzuki’s departure from MotoGP are behind Honda’s downfall.

European (primarily Italian) forces are now challenging this Japanese domination. Ducati has proven to be the best manufacturer in recent years and Aprilia and KTM seem to be taking notes. Honda’s struggles began long before the manufacturer was beaten for the World Title. It seems like the marvelous Marc Marquez was covering the horrid bike’s tracks.

With Alex Rins being the sole winner for Honda this season, the tensions at the company’s factory team are at an all-time high. The factory team, Repsol, will not want to part with their ace. This period will be very demanding for Honda, and it will be interesting to see how the legendary company fares in this test.

In case you missed it:

• Marc Marquez picks Jorge Martin as his favourite for the 2023 World Championship
• Casey Stoner terms Marc Marquez as ‘the fastest rider still’ and answers if he would move to Ducati himself

Stay Updated!

Join our newsletter to receive exclusive updates and curated insights directly to your inbox.

Subscribe NOW