Portimao MotoGP Test – Focus on Yamaha

MotoGP 2023 – Portimao Test
Focus on Yamaha

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli concluded the final day of 2023 pre-season testing overnight at Portimao.

The team-mates got in as many laps as possible at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve and wrapped up the Portimão MotoGP Official Test in 3rd and 19th place respectively.

Massimo Meregalli – Monster Energy Yamaha Team Director

“Today we wrapped up pre-season testing. Because Yamaha had prepared many items this winter, we knew we had a lot on our plate for this final 2023 pre-season test. We only had two days, so we prioritised accordingly. Fabio and Franky both evaluated aero-package options and tried settings we felt are promising for the first GP weekend, held here two week’s from now. Fabio made a big step today, so that’s positive. Franky also tried many things during this test and gathered a lot of data that should be helpful for Round 1. We got a lot of work done, but there’s still more to do. We will now carefully go over the data we collected here, and subsequently draft a strategy on how we will tackle the first GP of the 2023 season. I’m sure the fans are as impatient to get the racing started as we are. We will put in our full effort to be ready to go.”

Quartararo was quick to find a good rhythm on Sunday, and by 10:30 local time he had set a 1m39.292s, more than 0.3s quicker than his fastest lap on Day 1. At the time it put him in third place provisionally.

Once satisfied, he gave another push in the afternoon. Setting a 1‘38.302s on lap 61/88, he initially took second place but ultimately ended the day in third place, 0.334s from first.

We believe his best runs came when using the 2022 chassis but with the 2023 engine.

When Quartararo headed out towards the close of play his YZR-M1 sported this huge aero addition. A rear wing but something never seen before: a much bigger, upside-down triangular-shaped design. The review from the Frenchman: “it wasn’t worse“. But he said data was needed to see if it was better.

Fabio Quartararo

“Today we made a big improvement, especially with new tyres. We‘ve tried all aero-packages Yamaha brought here and also some settings from the past that were working well. I‘m pretty happy. We are still missing a few things, but we made a massive step from yesterday and from Sepang. We are much closer to be ready for GP1 than we were yesterday, although we are not 100% ready yet. We will be giving our best, for sure. We are not giving up.”

After putting in 95 laps on Saturday, Morbidelli completed another 89 laps on Sunday, more than any other rider, aiming to further improve his feeling with the bike and better his pace. Morbidelli successfully shaved over 1.3s off his Saturday time. His 1m39.066s, posted on lap 79/89, saw him finish 19th on the combined timesheets, 1.098s behind outright pacesetter Pecco Bagnaia.

Franco Morbidelli – P19

“These were busy days of testing. We tried many things, did a lot of stuff, and did a lot of testing – that‘s what testing is for, so I‘m happy about that. It will be important to analyse well the data we‘ve gathered and make the right choices for the race weekend.”

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