Fabio Quartararo heads into the Barcelona MotoGP looking to halt a difficult run of form after four races without a top-ten finish. The Yamaha rider had built momentum before the summer break with consistent top-six results, including a Sprint podium at Sachsenring, but recent setbacks and penalties have stalled his progress.
Barcelona is traditionally one of Quartararo’s strongest venues, with wins in 2020 and 2022, and its flowing layout should suit Yamaha’s M1 better than recent stop-go circuits. However, the track’s low grip has often exposed the bike’s weaknesses.
“This is one of my favourite circuits, but we don’t arrive with the momentum we hoped for,” Quartararo said. “I’m curious to see if our grip will be better this weekend. Either way, we’ll do our best to aim for the top 10 on Friday and build from there.”
Team director Massimo Meregalli acknowledged the challenge ahead, admitting grip has always been an issue at Montmelo. “We usually start strong in the mornings, but the hotter sessions expose our weaknesses. Still, we’ll give everything to maximise performance.”
Quartararo, currently tenth in the standings, will also test Yamaha’s new V4 prototype for the first time at Misano on September 15.
