Jerez MotoGP Test: Quartararo: We didn't make a step, 'strange' Ducati speed

Fabio Quartararo insists a disappointing Jerez test won't cloud his first winter break🔜 as a MotoGP world champion꧙.
The Frenchಞ star scored 278 of Yamaha's 309 constructors' points this year, but was winless after round 12 at Silverstone as closest rival Frꩲancesco Bagnaia took four of the last six victories for Ducati (falling from the lead in another).
Echoing the conc𝔍erns of Suzuki's 2020 champion Joan Mir, Quartararo spent the closing stages of the season warning Yamaha that a a big push was needed to help fight the Ducati riders, who filled the front row and podium at last weekend's Valencia finale.
Quartararo's biggest concern is top speed, yet while Ducati had an all-new engine, fairing and exhaust to try at Jerez (and Honda continued work on a completely new bike) Quartararo spent the first day of ꦑtesting on a 2022 prototype that was 'the same' as used at September's Misano te♏st.
The ꧙#20 then tried a new chassis and fair๊ing on the second and final day, but didn’t feel an improvement with either development.
Meanwhile, Bagnaia was 0.8s clear of the field for most of Friday, saying Ducati had done an 'incredible' job in 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:i💝mproving what was already a 'perfect' bike - with plenty more partsౠ, including the chassis, stilꦇl to come.
"I will not say I'm worr🎃ied, but of course [Ducati] look super fast," said Quartararo, who made a late push to finish second fastest, 0.452s from Bagnaia, and third overall behind the day one time♑ of Honda's Takaaki Nakagami.
"And we didn't make a step. That's for sure. So I hope for Sepang [in✨ February] to make a step, because we tried ma🤪ny things but I didn't feel any improvement."

Quartararo confirmed: "The new fairing, to be honest, you can't feel it. Itꩵ's more with data and everything. So 🏅it's difficult to say, but for me it looks a little bit nicer!
"Today there was a new chassis, but I didn't feel any improvement. We are looking for 💫a little bit more rear grip, so this is som෴ething that we definitely didn't find today.
"So nothing super poꦉsitive from today, and [Yamaha] definitely know where they need to improve, so this is the🎉 most important."
Asked to cast his eye over at Ducati, Quartararo was quizzed on where he thinks their bike is performing so well, given the lack of an🃏y long straights at Jerez.
"It's quite strange, beca💜use in Mugello the speed difference is about 10 km/h, and here today it was also about 10 km/h," Quartararo replied.
"So I don't understand, but I think the aerodynamics they have in this bike is massive, and I think that we need to work a lot on that area, to have a bit more downforce on t🐬he wheelie. I think this is one of th𝔍e most important things.
"And for me, clearly the old times when the Ducati did not turn, [because] it's 🔴a big bike, doesn't exist any🐠more.
"I think the Ducaಌti right now, with the combination of the riders – I'm not saying it's the bike that makes the difference, because I hate to say that the bike is better – but the bike needs a rider, and the combination of the rider first, and the bike that is the Ducati, 🍎means they are super strong and we need to improve in a lot of areas.
"But of course, [Ducati] are super-fast and they look real🥀ly strong."

Nonetheless, it's Quartararo anꦫd Yamaha that have finished the year as world champions and, while the Japanese engineers might be in for a busy winter break, the 22-year-old returns home a happy man.
"I go home like a world🐭 champion, and I go home a🎃nd enjoy," he said. "So I'm not worried, Yamaha will work a lot.
"This was not the test that wꦺe hoped for, but I will go home and rewatch the FIM Awards video [being presented with champions trophy]! I think everybody on the team will go home happy, apart from the Japanese engineers who will need to work a lot!"
Once again, Quartararo was head and shoulders ahead of ꦚthe next best Yamaha rider, RNF's Andrea Dovizioso in 13th. Factory team-mate Franco Morbidelli was 15th and rookie Darryn Binder 26th.
Just two official tests remain before the start ♈of the 2022 season, when engine spec and the first of two fairing designs will be fixed. Those tests will both take place next Februaryat Sepang, Malaysia and then Mandilika, Indonesia.

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.