Sepang MotoGP Test: Quartararo: Aprilia, Honda, Suzuki made 'massive step'
Ducati were 'already super-faꦓst' but Aprilia, Honda ꦡand Suzuki have made 'a massive step'.
That was the verdict of Yamaha'sꦜ reigning MotoGP world champion Fabio Quartararo at ♉the end of the season-opening Sepang test.
The Frenchman finished the rain interrupted two-days in Malaysia with the seventh fastest lap time (+0.182s) behind 💦three Duca𝐆tis, two Aprilias and a Suzuki.
Aprilia, the only manufacturer on the current grid without a MotoGಞP win, was perhaps the biggest surprise.
After riding for part of the Shakedown, Aleix Espargaro and Quartararo's former team-mate Maverick Vinales stayed top of the timesheets on day one of the Official test, the🍨n took second and fifth respectively on day two.
"They have two riders riding super-fast," Quartararo said of Apr𒁏ilia. "It’s true they made more days [here] but the bike is working super well.
"If you check top speed, it’s super-fast. I was behind Aleix for half a lap and the turning was a lot. I’m impressed𒅌 by them. For ♓me Aprilia, Honda and Suzuki made a massive step."
Qu♉artararo added: "Ducati were already super-fast at the end of the season. But the three that impressed me more are [Aprilia, Honda and Suzuki].
"To be honest I don’t think we [Yamaha] made a step📖 like that, by far. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t competitive. It just means the others made a bigger step than us.
"We are struggling in some areas. It's⭕ strange to see I was struggling more with new tyres. Normally the time attack is one of my favourite things🌠 and I knew I could improve a lot more. I know the others made a big step in that area."
Quartararo was the only🧜 Yamaha rider inside the top 20 on the final timesheet but expects new team-mate Franco Morbidelli (24th) to be mu൩ch closer at the coming Mandalika test.
"You always want someone th𝓡at pushes you to the limit," Quartararo said. "Franco is going to be fast in the short future. In Mandalika he will be much closer.
"In the first part of last season when Maverick was there, I learned from him. The first race in Qatar, I saw wha🅺t he did and I pushed to apply what I missed.
"Then Assen was the first time we both pushed ourselves to the limits. Assen for me was the most interesting qualifying. Even if I finished second because I made a mista𓄧ke, I never pushed myself that much to the limit.
"So I think it’s hܫelping [to have other fast Yꦜamahas] but I don’t need someone to push me to go fast."
Average lap info from day 2 at Sepang test. Wet lap times are not counted.
Suzuki, Ducati and Aprilia all looking strong again today.
KTM and Yamaha still make up the bottom half of the speed chart.
Aprilia have taken a significant step, I expect to see them on the podium in '22 just have to💦 adapt to the lack of top speed once again a🎶nd didn't sound too impressed by the other M1 devel♌opments."I tested a new chassis. I tested… I don’t even know what I tested. A chassis for sure. 🧸A set-up where we put the bikཧe lower. And… that’s it! The day was not a really, really big day," Quartararo said.
"To be honest I expected much more🉐 from this test. But it’s like this. Let’s see. At Mandalika we can try more o🐼r less the same things as we have now. Just in a different track. Let’s see if there we can see more positives."
Quartararo had also criticised his own riding on day one, saying he had been a little rusty after the winter break and needed to us♈e more corner speed. The 22-yea💧r-old was happier with his performance on day two.
"Straight away from the first lap I was rid♐ing more naturally. Super happy," he said. "Unfortunately, we kept two tyres for a time attack [at the end of Sunday, but rai෴n arrived.
"I’m a bit sad because I wanted to go under the '58s. I thought it was po🐻ssible. But happy because even with used tyres I was fast. This morning I made a '59.4 with 21 laps on the rear. In the afternoon a '59.7 with a lot of laps. On my natural ridingꦜ I’m super happy."
The final MotoGP pre-season 🧸test, at the new Mandalika circuit in Indonesia, will take♔ place this weekend.
2022 Sepang MotoGP Test - Day 2 Top Speeds Rider Bike Top Speed (km/h) 1 Johann Zarco Ducati 335.4 2 Enea Bastianini Ducati 335.4 3 Jack Miller Ducati 333.3 3 Maverick Vinales Aprilia 333.3 5 Francesco Bagnaia Ducati 332.3 6 Marc Marquez Honda 331.2 6 Marco Bezzecchi Ducati 331.2 8 Jorge Martin Ducati 331.2 8 Aleix Espargaro Aprilia 331.2 10 Joan Mir Suzuki 331.2 10 Fabio di Giannantonio Ducati 331.2 10 Pol Espargaro Honda 330.2 10 Brad Binder KTM 330.2 10 Luca Marini Ducati 330.2 15 Alex Rins Suzuki 330.2 15 Alex Marquez Honda 329.2 17 Raul Fernandez KTM 328.2 18 Fabio Quartararo Yamaha 327.2 19 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha 327.2 19 Miguel Oliveira KTM 327.2 21 Takaaki Nakagami Honda 327.2 21 Remy Gardner KTM 326.2 23 Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki 325.3 23 Andrea Dovizioso Yamaha 324.3 25 Darryn Binder Yamaha 323.3 25 Franco Morbidelli Yamaha 322.3
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go🍸. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
