Quartararo: “Story” of Yamaha being easy MotoGP bike “finished”
Fabio Quartararo says the “story” of the Yamaha being branded an easy MotoGP bike is “finished” as he had to “push like hell” for second in Qatar Grand Prix qualifying.


The M1 for years was branded a rider-friendly motorcycle, with the likes of Johann Zarco, Jonas Folger and Fabio Quartararo over the past few seasons able to jump on the bike and score podiums in their debut seasons.
The 2020 M1 proved to be a harder bike to manage, with the older frame losing cornering performance compared to the 2019 chassis.
And while the 2021 chassis has better turning capabilities, Quartararo notes he is having to push the bike much harder than he did in 2019 to make fast lap times.
“I think I was struggling a little bit with the 2020 bike, because coming from 2019, the difference was with my riding style the more I pushed, the slower I go,” he explained after qualifying second on Saturday.
“And with the 2020 and ’21 [bike] you need to push like hell to make the lap time and it’s not really the way I like to ride, but it’s the way the bike is working.
“So, I think it’s quite finished the story of Yamaha being an easy bike.
“We need to push like hell to make the lap time. I evaluate a little bit aggressive on the bike, but I’m also comfortable like this.
“So, we need to work on that way for qualifying and try to be great at the end of the race on pace because it’s two different ways of riding in qualifying and in the race.
“So, we will need to separate well the two jobs.”
Factory team-mate Maverick Vinales will start alongside Quartararo on the front row for the opening round of 2021, after pipping Petronas SRT’s Valentino Rossi to third at the death of qualifying.

Maverick Vinales, Yamaha Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Vinales displayed strong long run pace in the preceding FP4 session, but admits he still needs to “understand the strengths” of the 2021 M1 in a race situation.
“From my point of view, still we need to understand the strengths of the bike,” he said.
“For sure it’s not an easy bike to overtake on, but here in Qatar there are many spots where you don’t need a fast bike to overtake.
“Sure, it will be hard but we need to understand how to take out the maximum potential of the bike to overtake, maybe it can be with corner speed or braking late.
“We know we can pass in many places here in Qatar, so tomorrow we have a clear spot where we can attack.”
SRT’s Franco Morbidelli ended qualifying the slowest Yamaha in seventh having topped FP3 and having been pegged as the favourite by Ducati’s Jack Miller on Friday.
He revealed his speed dips somewhat in the evening sessions and his ‘A-spec’ M1 has “two different personalities” from day to night.
“It looks like we are missing some speed in the night, so for tomorrow we will try to at least balance the two different personalities that we have,” he said.
“When the sun is out we are really fast, we are incredibly fast. But when the night comes, we are still fast but not enough.
“So, tomorrow we are going to try something to increase our speed at night.”
Related video

Mir “missing a lot” in Qatar MotoGP qualifying
Binder "sick" at thought of Qatar MotoGP top 10 being good result

Latest news
2022 MotoGP title fight now “very tight”, says Aleix Espargaro
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro believes the current MotoGP championship picture following the British Grand Prix has set up “a very, very tight” title battle.
Pol Espargaro doesn’t think Honda is reacting to MotoGP woes
Pol Espargaro isn’t sure the problems Honda is facing at races in MotoGP this season are being relayed back to Japan as “we’re not getting the material we need”.
Marc Marquez to return to MotoGP paddock at Austrian GP for Honda progress update
Marc Marquez will return to the MotoGP paddock at the Austrian Grand Prix to check up on Honda’s progress as he continues his own rehabilitation.
Rins “destroyed” after “not normal” grip issues end Silverstone MotoGP win hopes
Suzuki’s Alex Rins says he was “destroyed” after a “not normal” drop in grip shuffled him from the lead of the MotoGP British Grand Prix to seventh by the end.
The signs Quartararo’s 2022 MotoGP title is slipping away from him
Prior to the summer break, the 2022 MotoGP title looked like it was Fabio Quartararo’s to lose. But a crash at Assen and the consequential penalty he had to serve last weekend at Silverstone stopped him from capitalising on a main rival’s injury woes, while a resurgence from another, plus the rise of a former team-mate, look set to conspire against the Yamaha rider
Why Marquez’s toughest MotoGP foe is stopping at the right time
On the eve of the British Grand Prix, Andrea Dovizioso announced that he will be retiring from MotoGP after September’s San Marino GP. The timing of his departure raised eyebrows, but his reasoning remains sensible and what has happened this year should not diminish a hard-built legacy
Why a Suzuki refugee feels he deserves MotoGP's toughest challenge
Alex Rins’ MotoGP future was plunged into sudden doubt when Suzuki elected to quit the series at the end of 2022. Securing a deal with Honda to join LCR, he will now tread a path that many have fallen off from. But it was a move he felt his status deserved, and it’s a challenge – he tells Autosport - he faces with his eyes wide open…
How Formula 1 has driven MotoGP's changing nature
The hiring of technicians from Formula 1 has clearly contributed to a recent change in the MotoGP landscape, with the role of engineers gaining greater significance relative to the riders. Here's how this shift has come about
The revolution behind Aprilia's rise from MotoGP tail-ender to pack-leader
Coinciding with the arrival of Massimo Rivola as head of its MotoGP division, Aprilia has undergone an internal revolution that has spurred it from occupying last place in the team standings to leading the table in the space of just two years. Those entrenched in the project reveal how the ex-Ferrari F1 chief has achieved the dramatic turnaround
The battle Yamaha's wayward son is fighting to be fast again in MotoGP
Franco Morbidelli was long overdue a promotion to factory machinery when it finally came late last year, having finished runner-up in the 2020 standings on an old Yamaha package. But since then the Italian has been a shadow of his former self as he toils to adapt to the 2022 M1, and recognises that he needs to change his style to be quick on it
Why Honda and Yamaha have been left behind in MotoGP's new era
The once all-conquering Japanese manufacturers are going through a difficult period in MotoGP this season. With Suzuki quitting, Honda struggling to get near the podium and Yamaha only enjoying success courtesy of Fabio Quartararo, Japanese manufacturers have been left in the dust by their European counterparts. Key paddock figures explain why.
Who is Valentino Rossi’s newest MotoGP star?
Valentino Rossi’s protégés stole the show at Assen as Francesco Bagnaia stormed to victory to arrest a recent barren run. But it was the rider in second, on Bagnaia’s old bike, who had all eyes on him. Securing his and the VR46 team’s first MotoGP podium, Marco Bezzecchi has all the characteristics that made his mentor special