Yamaha made ‘more bike changes than all of 2023’ at COTA MotoGP

The 2021 world champion scored one of his three grand prix podiums of the 2023 season at the Circuit of the Americas last year, but has been far off repeating that this season.

Qualifying 16th, Quartararo could only go one place better in Saturday’s 10-lap sprint, as he beat Yamaha team-mate and 2023 Americas GP winner Alex Rins.

As it tries to develop its way to the front of the grid again, Quartararo says Yamaha has tried “something big” on the M1 in every session and feels this is the only approach the Japanese marque can take while its results are lowly.

“This weekend every run we did we tried something big on the bike,” Quartararo said. “Even for the sprint we went out with a bike we never used, and I think that is quite good in the position that we are in now to try big things.

“To finish P13 or P15 will not really change anything for us, and I think the way we are working is good even if the result is not showing anything. But we are trying things we never did in the past.

“Tomorrow morning [in warm-up] we will try something new again and if we have an idea for the race we will try it also.

“There is no point to being conservative in the position we are in now.

“I think doing these things, we have quite a lot of direction to see, especially we move the bike up, down, low, front, rear and I think we have made more changes in one race than a whole year last year.

“So, it’s a little bit difficult but it’s the good way for us to find, I would not say the good way, but at least some positive ideas for the future.”

On Friday Autosport reported that long-time Yamaha MotoGP boss Lin Jarvis would be stepping down from his role at the end of the year.

Asked about Jarvis’ departure, Quartararo commented: “I think there is no team boss who has stayed for as long as him.

“But for sure he will stay a little bit, he will not really be 100% like now but he will still come to many, many races.”