Fabio Quartararo answered questions from journalists during his debriefing ahead of the MotoGP Grand Prix of San Marino at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.
Having done private tests on the same circuit between Austria and Aragon, this allows him to have an exact vision of the problems to be solved for the two Grands Prix which will take place on the Adriatic coast…
As usualwe report here his words during the press conference, without any formatting, even if it is translated from English.
Fabio Quartararo: “We already tested here a few weeks ago. The test went pretty well, and I was particularly happy with the race pace, but the attack on the clock was really bad, and we didn’t understand why. So I hope we can find a way this weekend to do at least one (good) lap.”
Is this mainly one of the reasons why you can’t get the most out of the new rear tire?
“Yes, yes. Especially on this track, the tyres never really degrade much, so even with 20 laps on the tyre you can still manage to do a really good lap because the tyres don’t drop much, and the fuel goes down, so you have less weight. But you know, compared to the others, when they put the new tyre on they can make a big step forward and we don’t. So I think it depends on the tracks, but in Aragon the pace was much better than the attack on the clock. I think on some tracks our potential in the race is not what we want, but at least P8-P9, but qualifying in 17th place we can only fight for P13, 14 or 12. So that’s mainly our weak point, the rear grip, but not really on the exit of the corners, but mainly on braking and when you dive.”
Can you explain what you think you can do with a brand new rear tire, which you can’t, and why the pace is still good?
“To be honest, we have less grip on this circuit and I did my last time with 22 laps. With the new soft and little fuel, I did not do better, but normally, from medium to soft, there is already a gap, from 22 laps to a new tire, there is another gap, and from 10 liters of fuel to 4 liters, there is another gap.
The minimum is 5 or 6 tenths, but we went slower.”
The rear doesn’t grip?
“No, there is no real contact. It feels like the tire is not ready, but it is way too hot. You never know what is going on. That is my feeling: the temperature is right, but the feeling is exactly like the tire is not ready or it is way too hot. But the tire is at the right temperature, but it is just spinning. Entering Turn 3 a little too fast, and it is off the road very, very quickly. And yes, 3 laps in a row, it is not only the first lap where it is not ready, 3 laps, but the tire is not helping at all.”
This means that at this point you have lost a lot of time, and you can start to pick up your pace, but you are behind…
“Exactly. On this particular track the tyre takes a bit of time, but when it’s a time attack it’s on the first lap or the second lap at the most that you get the lap time. But not for us.”
Fabio, will there be any new things to try this weekend, or will you wait until Monday?
“Yes, yes, we will test. We will test several times during the race because I think we have no time to lose and the test is always different. In testing, you always feel different, you always feel better, because every time there is more rubber on the track, and if you look at our weak point, it is the grip. If you test at 9am or at 1pm, there will be a lot more rubber on the track and you will always feel better, but you never really know. So the real test we did was when we were two weeks ago and there was not so much rubber on the track.
There was also a Moto2 riding with us, so it wasn’t just Michelin rubber, so that was great.”
During a test, I think it’s really difficult to try to improve your time attack, because you only have one or two laps to do: you have a limited number of tyres…
“Yes, but to be honest, as Cal hasn’t tested this year, I could go out with one tyre, we always have plenty of tyres.”
But I guess it’s easier to work on your running pace during a test than during a time attack, right?
“Yes, yes, of course. Because at the end of the day we are not focused on time attacks, but I want to improve and I want the team to have data on why we are so slow on a lap. You know, I have the experience of the first few years in MotoGP where I could really do it in a natural way, and it is easy for me to improve my pace on a lap. But at the moment it is impossible and I know I am capable of doing a lap, but we do not have the capacity to do it.”
Have you spoken to Paolo Pavesio? Fabio, what do you think of him? Did he make you any promises?
“No, no promises yet. You know, he’s the new boss, so I better not say too much (laughs). No, you know, internally we knew for a long time that he would be the one to take Lin’s place, but for now, I knew his name, I knew who he was, but I never really had the chance to talk to him. The first time I talked to him, in Assen or Sachsenring I think, it was good, and in the end, I think it’s not a problem.
It will just be a new member and I think Lin has done his job perfectly.”
Photo :
Michelin Motorsport
Fabio Quartararo MotoGP Misano
