Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing rider, shared that his participation in the Japanese Grand Prix was seriously affected by fuel conservation issues during the race held last Sunday. The French rider finished the race in 12th position, the same place where he started, a modest result when compared to the expectations of his season.
Despite this outcome, Quartararo believes he could have competed at a higher level if he hadn’t been so worried about the amount of fuel. ‘It was difficult, because from the seventh lap I had a fuel problem, so it wasn’t the best way,’ he explained. The rider acknowledged that he had to operate at only 70% of the throttle potential in several sections of the circuit.
Performance issues
Quartararo pointed out that the fuel consumption problems were not unexpected: ‘I don’t know if the team anticipated a lower consumption, but I didn’t expect to have this problem, especially when I was in slipstream.’ He mentioned that even when he tried to take advantage of his position behind other riders, he had to reduce the throttle power.
Additionally, Yamaha’s situation was complicated by the fact that their bikes continue to have one of the worst maximum speeds in the championship. The team’s riders occupied the last positions during the race, reflecting a consistently low performance throughout the competition.
Looking to the future
Quartararo has expressed that the balance between fuel consumption and the power of his bike is a recurring concern. ‘It is never easy to know if I will be able to finish the race or not, because I am constantly monitoring the fuel lights,’ he admitted. Despite all, he maintains a positive attitude about his riding in general.
This incident further increases the impatience of the 2021 champion to have the opportunity to compete with a Honda bike, which he will pilot starting from the 2027 season.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
