Rainfall previous to the beginning of Sunday’s grand prix at Motegi led to all the subject operating all the first lap on slicks as circumstances quickly deteriorated.
Having began 14th, Yamaha’s Quartararo elected to hold on for one more lap as the vast majority of the sphere pitted on the finish of the primary tour for his or her moist bikes.
Quartararo caught it out for only one extra lap, nevertheless, and pitted on the finish of the second tour, and would go on to complete tenth when the race was red-flagged halfway by way of.
After a wretched dash contest on Saturday, the 2021 world champion says the prospect of solely making up a number of spots operating the identical technique as the remainder justified attempting one thing various on Sunday.
“I attempted to remain yet another lap on the observe as a result of the observe was moist, nevertheless it wasn’t raining quite a bit,” Quartararo informed Canal+.
“As quickly as I began my second lap within the dry, I clearly noticed that I couldn’t keep any longer [on slicks].
“I feel ending 14th or tenth just isn’t a really large change for us, so I wished to do this problem. It didn’t work however, hey, we’ll take the positives from this weekend.”
Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Manufacturing facility Racing
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Requested by Motorsport.com what he may have gained by pitting on lap one, Quartararo added: “A number of positions additional up, however no increased than P7. On the final two laps, I made some errors and misplaced a number of seconds… possibly P7, P8, P9.”
Quartararo has all the time maintained that the M1 works decently sufficient in absolutely moist circumstances, and he “anticipated a lot worse” in final Sunday’s race.
Nonetheless, he famous that with the present Yamaha engine the issues he faces with energy supply – which ends up in a scarcity of rear traction and compromises high velocity – by no means has “a stability”.
“From my standpoint, the engine is okay – not super-smooth, however not super-bad,” he stated.
“In some areas, we’re not too dangerous within the moist, I anticipated a lot worse. The issue is all actually good, or all actually dangerous.
“There may be not a stability the place we are able to make it nicely. Going into the corners is absolutely troublesome however when within the grip space, the place we have now to select up our bike, it was not too dangerous right now.
“Simply I can’t carry velocity into the corners. It is a drawback for us.”
