Fabio Quartararo: We had two new engines at Valencia…

After a ‘tough’ 12th place in the Dutch MotoGP, Fabio Quartararo will be hoping the new Yamaha engine makes a bigger impact at Sachsenring this weekend.

The MotoGP engine list confirmed that Quartararo and team-mate Alex Rins each received one new engine in Assen, then rode with it exclusively in every track session from FP1 to the grand prix.

But there had been confusion on the eve of the event with Quartararo suggesting a promising ‘new’ engine tried at the private Valencia test was not yet available, while Rins insisted they were getting a new engine each.

It turned out they were both right. Quartararo later revealed there were two new engine specs at Valencia, and he was referring to the second.

“We had two [new options],” he said, confirming that in total they had tried: “The [standard] ’24, this [Assen] one and another one.”

“We tested another engine in Valencia where the agility and turning was much better. And it was still an Inline 4,” he underlined, quashing rumours of a V4.

“This [turning] problem we have is clearly coming from the engine. Of course, we’ll need a bit of time to use this [second type of new] engine.”

The Assen engine, presumably less radical than the second option given how quickly it was introduced, at least helps with engine braking and turning in slow corners.

But the fast and flowing Dutch track meant its impact on performance was minimal. “I think the positive we got from Valencia, here we cannot really feel,” Quartararo said.

That might also be the case at this weekend’s tight-and-twisty Sachsenring circuit.

“In general, I don't think that the Sachsenring is a good track for us, especially the second and third sector will be complicated, but we have to take the positives and try to get some data in order to keep improving,” Quartararo said.

“Clearly, we are still very far,” added the Frenchman, after finishing Sunday’s race 24-seconds behind Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia.

“It looks like also with the new [rear tyre] compound, they [Ducati] could improve a lot, but for us it's no different. So we have to understand why the grip of our bike is still very, very low in every condition.”

Quartararo will have a new team-mate this weekend with Remy Gardner stepping in for the injured Rins.

“I wish Alex a speedy recovery. I hope to see him back at the track soon,” said Quartararo.

The 2021 world champion starts the final event before the MotoGP summer break equal on points with former team-mate Franco Morbidelli for 13th in the world championship.

Quartararo’s 39 points at least make him a clear leader of the ‘Japanese Cup’ with next best Joan Mir (Repsol Honda) scoring just 13 points.