In a stunning turnaround, Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo took pole position and second in Sunday’s race at Jerez two weeks ago. The podium position was the first for Yamaha since the Indonesian GP in 2023. A long drought.
Quartararo’s success at Jerez resulted from at least two factors, including improvements in the Yamaha MotoGP bike and the relatively tight layout at Jerez that did not play to Ducati’s strength nearly as much as higher speed circuits.
Immediately after the round, Yamaha and other manufacturers held a test day at the same circuit. Yamaha handed its riders a revised engine that pleased them not only with increased horsepower but also with the quality of the power delivery. Quartararo was nearly matched by teammate Álex Rins at the test, and both of them were very quick.
This weekend’s race at Le Mans is the home race for Frenchman Quartararo. This is another venue that seems to complement Yamaha’s strength, so all of the Yamaha riders are looking forward to the event.
Yamaha rider Jack Miller is a former winner at Le Mans, and he has made setting changes recently that have improved his feel on the M1.
We are in the midst of complete Ducati domination of the MotoGP race series, so many observers are excited that another contender will emerge. If you recall the days when Quartararo frequently earned pole position and then took the lead in the race and disappeared from his competitors (now, three years ago), his performance at Jerez was a reminder that he is still one of the most talented riders in the field. Next weekend will be interesting.
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