Quartararo: New fairing ‘really interesting’, engine ‘number one’ issue

The most obvious was the new, more aggressive fairing, featuring bigger front wings and Ducati-style diffuser vents.

But the Frenchman also revealed he lined up on the grid with a “different rear shock, different swingarm… A bike that I never tested, basically. I said we have to give it a try, especially to see how the fairing is handling because there are many changes of direction here.”

While the fast Silverstone circuit meant the anti-wheelie benefits of greater downforce were muted, and it cost him some more top speed on the straights, Quartararo felt that - unlike the previous three fairing designs he has tried - this version has potential.

The 2021 world champion made up seven places on the opening lap and had reached seventh place by the closing stages, when rain spots were falling. But he then collided with Luca Marini as they went back and forth, ripping off his fairing and forcing a pit stop.

“Coming from 22nd to 7th I think was great, then happened what happened and it was difficult because you overtake one rider and then he overtakes you [back] on the straight so it’s frustrating,” Quartararo said.

“But for me, it was the best race I can do. We didn't finish at this position [7th], but we arrived at that place and the pace was there.”

Nonetheless, “I cannot be more optimistic just because I make this kind of race. I know where is the problem, but I just give my 100%, try to fight.

“I think if my starting position was a little bit better, I could have finished maybe between Martin [sixth] and the other guys. But for me the issue is when the track is really low on grip, we are losing so much.

"I had no opportunity to fight with the top guys. The only one I could really overtake was Franco. Because we use the same bike and I can carry the same lines as him.

"But when you are behind all the other bikes, you're catching them on the brakes, they go away on acceleration. You never have an opportunity to [easily] overtake them.”

While Quartararo ruled out riding with such an extreme number of changes again, the fairing - his one allowed update for the season - was among the few recent Yamaha developments to get his seal of approval for the future.

“We cannot go from our standard bike to this one [again] because it has so many changes and I didn't really feel better. In the race I could overtake, just because I could take more risks starting from last.

“But I think the fairing we will keep, it’s something really interesting because we see the handling was not too bad.

“For the wheelie, we don't know because there is not enough acceleration [here] but if we can use maybe a little bit more acceleration it will be good for Austria. So I think we will go with our standard bike and new fairing for the Red Bull Ring.”

“We have to try more tracks to really see the benefit of this fairing. But what is true is that it was not worse,” Quartararo added.

“I think during the pre-season we tried three new fairings and those three fairings were clearly worse. This one looks like it's the same or better, so I think if Ducati, Aprilia and KTM use [this style]…”

Quartararo: “Engine is the number one [issue] that we need to fix”

The latest aero also reconfirmed what Quartararo has been saying for several months: The 2023 Yamaha engine may have more power, but it is still far behind the performance of the European engines.

That in turn means the two Yamaha riders have to run low downforce to avoid losing even more on the straights, which then hurts them in acceleration and grip.

“We just went out of a meeting and for me, clearly, the number one [issue] by far is the engine,” Quartararo explained. “Because some people say ‘yeah, but if you look at the speed, you are not so far’. But today they overtook me ‘like that’ [easily].

“Maybe it’s only 10km/h difference [normally] but the aero they [European bikes] are using is massive. If we use the same aero we will be [another] 5k slower so it would be a 15km/h difference. This means the engine is slow.

“So at the end, the engine is the number one [priority] because we must use [the same design] from the beginning of the season until the end. Then if you want to add aero, less aero, change the chassis, exhaust, or whatever - you can do it during the season.

“But the engine is the number one that we need to fix, to fight [for 2024].”

After Quartararo’s pit stop, he went to finish one place behind team-mate Morbidelli, in 15th. Morbidelli was also the highest-placed rider on a Japanese bike.

Quartararo and Morbidelli are currently eleventh and twelfth in the world championship.