MotoGP | Yamaha: the “enormous” gap increases doubts about Quartararo's future

The day after ninth place in the Sprint, Fabio Quartararo took seventh place in Portimao, but more than the position at the finish line, it is the gap from the leaders that worries him.

After being overtaken by Brad Binder but having also overtaken Marco Bezzecchi during the first lap, he retained the ninth position he occupied on the grid and held it for a long time, before being overtaken by Miguel Oliveira and then joined by the VR46 driver. Quartararo then regained the advantage over the Portuguese and took advantage of the misadventures of Pecco Bagnaia, Marc Marquez and Maverick Vinales to climb up to seventh place, but passed under the checkered flag 20″130 after the winner.

“It's complicated,” Quartararo told Canal+. “Honestly, more than the position – it's good, we finished seventh, it's a positive result – the pace we had in this race was very mediocre. I thought I'd finish closer to the leader. We gained almost a second a lap, so it's a huge gap. We have to find a solution. We are on the right path but, as a driver, I always want things to happen faster, as soon as possible. We are making small steps forward, little by little.”

Quartararo won in 2021 and 2022 in Portimao, but playing a leading role was absolutely out of the question this weekend, with a Yamaha that is becoming increasingly impoverished. “It's not a question of what I can't do, it's that we have reached the limit of our bike,” explained the Frenchman when meeting journalists.

“I'm already doing everything I can with the bike, the only question is what the bike doesn't allow me to do to keep up with those in front of me. That's how it is, which is why I think that with this weekend's data we will be able to take some steps forward for the future.”

In recent weeks, Quartararo has praised Yamaha's change in approach, while noting the lack of progress at the moment, and knows he will have to wait “at least until mid-season” before hoping for a change. Which contrasts with the desire he expressed earlier this weekend not to drag out his team selection for 2025 too long.

Quartararo admitted on Sunday that Yamaha didn't have “much” time to convince him to extend his contract and that he couldn't afford to wait until mid-season to sign his future MotoGP contract: “I have to decide well in advance, and it will be more of a personal matter to see what I need to do for the future.”

As for what choice could be his, Quartararo doesn't seem to close any doors. While Jorge Martin asks to move to a factory team, Marc Marquez has given up his status as an official rider in favor of a move to Gresini Racing. “I don't know,” he replied, showing a certain serenity only because he seems to have what it takes.

“Honestly, I experienced much worse situations when I was in Moto2, when I didn't know where I would be the following year. The possibility of leaving, of having offers, of not being stressed by the fact of not having a bike for the following year, I don't think it affects me. I would even say it doesn't affect me at all.”

“There's definitely a choice to make and it's not easy. I know I have to make it in a very short time, but on the one hand you see Yamaha doing things that I've never seen in six years, they're really making big changes. other thing, there is the possibility of riding bikes that are already in front. It won't be an easy choice.”

This context is difficult but it doesn't weigh inside the garage according to the 2021 World Champion: “The atmosphere is very good and I would also say that it motivates Yamaha enormously.”

Watch: MotoGP: Jorge Martin dominates Portimao | 2024 #PortugueseGP