Deploy Folding Table of contents
The Japanese Grand Prix proved to be yet another setback for Yamaha’s racing team. Following a glimmer of hope during the recent races at Misano and Mandalika, both Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins have voiced their deep dissatisfaction regarding underwhelming performance, as detailed by Motorsport. Rins ended the race with zero points, while Quartararo narrowly missed finishing in the top ten due to running out of fuel just before the race concluded. The Frenchman did not hold back his disappointment, stating, “It’s embarrassing enough to be struggling on the track; it becomes even more humiliating when you have fuel issues.” Rins, too, shared his frustrations, lamenting the physically demanding races that yielded no fruitful results. “It was genuinely tough,” said Rins, who crossed the finish line in 16th place, just ahead of Remy Gardner with the third Yamaha wildcard. “The initial stages of the race were not bad. We started with the settings from Austria, aiming to improve our braking and enhance rear grip. It felt somewhat better, and I could sense the bike more. But as the race drew to a close, with ten laps remaining, tire degradation made it nearly impossible to manage the sliding, even when going straight. Coming out of turns 9 and 10, I was slipping with the bike in an upright position. The tire had a bit of a flat spot in the center,” Rins explained.
Drivers Express Their Disappointment Openly
Both riders, evidently drained after a grueling race, criticized a bike that seems to no longer meet performance expectations. “Even when compared to Honda, we clearly have grip issues. They are significantly better than us in that regard,” Quartararo noted, engaged in a battle with Johann Zarco throughout the race yet finishing over 30 seconds behind. “I never expected to be that far behind. Even during the second lap, it felt like the other riders had brand new tires while ours were worn down, which is difficult to comprehend, [it’s challenging] to see such a disparity,” Quartararo reflecting on the dismal weekend. “We put in all our efforts; we need to exercise a bit of patience, yet there are critical moments,” Rins added, dismissing Quartararo’s near top-five finish in Misano (due to the fuel issue) as an inaccurate representation of the current situation. “In my view, the outcome in Misano wasn’t reflective of our reality. Right now, apart from the Ducati, Aprilia, and KTM, Nakagami caught up to Fabio and Zarco quite rapidly; he was significantly quicker than them in the closing laps. And when Marini surpassed me, I couldn’t get past him. That’s the stark reality,” Rins recognized, aligning with Quartararo’s perspective that Yamaha is still trailing significantly behind their main competitors.
The Challenges Ahead for Yamaha
As the season progresses, the enduring struggles for Yamaha paint a daunting picture for the team. The feedback from both riders emphasizes the urgent need for the engineering squad to address the underlying issues to regain competitiveness as the races become increasingly challenging. Their candid assessment of their bikes indicates a critical need for improvements in grip and overall performance.
Looking Forward: The Road to Recovery
While the challenges are significant, a determined mindset remains prevalent among the Yamaha team. The focus now shifts to harnessing the lessons learned from this experience to fuel their resolve in upcoming races. As they strive for improvement, one can only hope that the team adapts, evolves, and returns to the track with renewed vigor, ready to compete at the highest level.
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It has been a tough journey for Yamaha, demonstrating considerable perseverance and grit despite recent underachievement. The path ahead is uncertain but should spark a commitment to improvement that fans and followers will surely witness in upcoming races.
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