Quartararo “not confident” Yamaha can make 2024 MotoGP step

Fabio Quartararo admits he is “not confident” Yamaha can make the performance step it needs in MotoGP for 2024 based on a lack of evolution in recent years.

Yamaha still has only one podium to its credit in 2023 courtesy of a third for Quartararo in the Americas Grand Prix in April, while the Frenchman is its top runner in the standings in ninth – 86 points off the lead.

Quartararo has previously complained this year about Yamaha making little progress with its M1 in the four years he has been with the Japanese marque.

When asked about Yamaha starting work on its 2024 bike, Quartararo said: “I mean, it’s a lot of years that we are waiting for something big, a big change, so hopefully they can really provide us a really, really good bike for next year.

“But of course, I’m not confident [based on] the last years’ evolution.

“It’s difficult to be confident when you are fighting for these positions. In the pre-season they worked hard, but we could not find any improvement.

“So, you know that they work hard but you don’t know if you’re going to reach an improvement.

“They work hard and this is the most important thing, but hopefully they find the correct thing to make a step for the end of the year and for next year.”

Quartararo’s situation at Yamaha mimics that of Marc Marquez and Honda, who at Mugello last week called for a meeting with HRC top brass.

The Frenchman revealed he has already done the same with Yamaha Motor Company CEO Yoshihiro Hidaka at Jerez.

“I had it [a meeting] already with Yamaha president,” he said when asked about having a similar meeting with Yamaha management as Marquez did with Honda.

“So, hopefully it’s going to accelerate the process a little bit and he sees that we are far from the top brands.

“The president was there and I asked for that. It was not planned, but I asked for it because of my mentality: I’m a fighter, I want to win, I don’t want to be in this position because I think no-one in the team is enjoying fighting for [these bad results].”

Quartararo qualified 12th in Germany having been caught out by late yellow flags, before dropping more positions off the line when he was forced to shut the throttle as Ducati’s Enea Bastianini cut in front of him.

Finishing the race without points in 13th, Quartararo said: “Tough day, especially all the…