The Misano test served as an appetizer of what awaits the MotoGP riders next season, as the manufacturers brought numerous novelties for 2022. Fabio Quartararo was able to test the new chassis and engine that Yamaha has developed in Iwata. After finishing the tests in seventh position, the championship leader did not hide his disappointment, although he hopes that further improvements can be made.
“The bike I tested on Tuesday morning was a new prototype,” explained Quartararo after the test. “The engine was new and my feedback on the chassis was pretty good. For a first prototype I was expecting a bit more power from the engine but unfortunately it’s not there yet. I’m looking forward to the Jerez test.”
At the end of the first day, conditioned by the rain in the morning, Quartararo also spoke about the new chassis that Yamaha brought: “The feedback was quite good and I think it is quite positive. But I don’t want to talk too soon, because I haven’t thought a lot. Anyway, the answer was neither better nor worse”.
The guy from Nice couldn’t say much about the 2022 chassis because he only really tested it on Tuesday afternoon and at the start of Wednesday. While other riders prepared for the next season, Fabio had to continue working thinking about the current one to certify the title.
“The second day I did some laps with the 2022 bike. I didn’t do many because I wanted to focus on some parts of the 2021 bike, to test some things on the swingarm, the suspensions and the adjustment of another component, but I don’t know exactly which one. Al In the end, shooting with the basic configuration was better”.
(Before reading on, click on the link or on the image to see the photos of the MotoGP test in Misano)
Quartararo looked for concrete gains in Misano, where they will race again at the end of October and where he will get his first match ball if he finishes in the top 14 in Austin . However, the #20 will face the Emilia Romagna GP with the same set-up as the San Marino one.
“We’ve tried a few things, but unfortunately we haven’t improved anything. It was worse or the same, so we went back to the basic configuration. Unfortunately, there is no improvement in that regard.”
The low temperatures on Tuesday will be useful for the next races, in which the autumn conditions will have to be taken into account when setting up the bikes.
“It will help because the track was 10°C cooler than Wednesday. It can be useful for tire information. I have seen that in these temperatures I can use the hard front. We know that when we come back we will be able to use it. It is a very positive thing.”
Quartararo definitively became the leader of Yamaha in the Misano test, where he had the responsibility of leading the development of the brand in the face of the difficulties faced by the rest of the riders: Franco Morbidelli is still convalescing and is still adapting to the official bike, Valentino Rossi will retire at the end of the season, while Andrea Dovizioso has just arrived and is riding the 2019 model. So El Diablo is taking that lead and believes he is capable of guiding the manufacturer in the right direction.
“It has not been the biggest test because I have had a few in which I had to give important information. I would not say that it is the first, but it is the first time that I am the first pilot to try the new material. For that reason, yes I feel good in this position, being a bit of a test driver.”
“I feel like it was good to be able to give good feedback on the bikes. I think the sensitivity to say what is happening on the bike is one of my strengths and it shows clearly in the data. It was a good day in the end. I think I was much calmer than before. Before, in the tests, I always wanted to be the first. [On Tuesday] I did my best lap with a tire that had 15 laps, so I’m very happy.”
