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Further from the front than ever and in even more trouble than Honda – that’s Fabio Quartararo’s assessment of Yamaha after the 2024 MotoGP opener
Fabio Quartararo expressed disappointment in the performance of the Yamaha team in the 2024 MotoGP season opener in Qatar, stating they were further from the front than ever before, even worse off than struggling Honda. The 2024-spec Yamaha M1 showed promise with improvements in top speed and aero, but failed to make a significant impact in testing and qualifying, with both Quartararo and new teammate Alex Rins failing to advance from Q1. The team struggled with tire management in the race, leading to a conservative engine mapping and a frustrating 11th place finish for Quartararo. Despite his personal improvement, Quartararo acknowledged the dominance of Ducati in Qatar and the widening gap between Yamaha and its European rivals, questioning their performance in long corners compared to previous seasons. Quartararo admitted that while the team had made some progress, the overall competitiveness of their bike compared to others was the worst it had ever been.
