Quartararo warns Yamaha MotoGP team "not allowed to make mistakes" now
Reigning MotoGP world champion Fabio Quartararo warns he and Yamaha are “not allowed to make mistakes” in the next races if he is to defend his crown.
After the first four races of a hectic 2022 season, Quartararo has scored just one podium so far.
A lack of progress in the Yamaha package has meant either side of his Indonesia second place, Quartararo has finished ninth in Qatar, eighth in Argentina and then seventh last time out in America.
He is currently only 17 points off championship leader Enea Bastianini, but notes that the next run of races starting this weekend with the Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimao – where he won last season – have to bring podiums given how suited the Yamaha is to the coming track layouts.
“This one is 50/50 for us, but it’s true that Jerez and Le Mans are really important tracks for us,” he said when asked by Autosport if he views Portugal as the real start to his 2022 season.
“We are not allowed to make mistakes.
“If we want to fight for the championship, mistakes are not allowed.
“So, in this kind of track, it’s to be on the podium and make no mistakes because if not it will be difficult to arrive in a good position at the end of the year.”
Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
The Yamaha currently lacks top speed relative to its rivals and struggles when it gets stuck behind faster bikes, as the riders cannot use the cornering strengths of the M1.
Quartararo has previously noted that the M1 has a narrow operating window, which is very much dependent on the grip on offer at a circuit.
But, when asked if he was expecting any updates from Yamaha now MotoGP has returned to Europe, Quartararo said there had been no real discussions about this with his team.
“I hope [we get some updates soon],” he added.
“At the moment I have not much news about this, but we have to because imagine I was happy to finish P7 in Austin.
“It sounds ridiculous because I was world champion last year and I was happy to finish in that position in Austin. We need to have new things.”
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