Prepare to be surprised! Yamaha, a team often fighting an uphill battle, has seemingly turned the tables at the Australian MotoGP practice sessions. Factory riders Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins are not just participating; they're contending, securing spots in Qualifying 2 and showcasing a race pace that's raising eyebrows across the paddock. But here's where it gets interesting...
Yamaha's performance during Friday practice at Phillip Island significantly "exceeded expectations," according to team director Massimo Meregalli. Both Quartararo and Rins managed to snag direct entry into Q2 (Qualifying 2), placing them among the fastest riders heading into the crucial qualifying rounds. This is a big deal because direct Q2 access avoids the lottery of Q1, giving them a much better shot at a strong grid position for the race.
What's even more impressive is their consistent race pace. Before the time attack runs, both riders were consistently lapping in the 1m 27s range on used soft rear tires. This indicates a bike setup that's not only fast for a single lap but also sustainable over race distance. Think of it this way: it's like a marathon runner who can sprint at the end, not just at the beginning. This suggests Yamaha has found a sweet spot with tire management, a critical factor at Phillip Island's demanding circuit. Meregalli emphasized that the team "anticipated some challenges due to the typically lower grip levels at this circuit compared to Mandalika, but, so far, both riders are feeling confident and able to push." He also added that "The team is highly motivated to carry this momentum into Saturday."
Quartararo finished the day in a commendable fourth place, only 0.4 seconds behind the fastest rider, Marco Bezzecchi. What's more, he was practically neck-and-neck with Raul Fernandez's Aprilia and just a hair's breadth ahead of Fabio di Giannantonio on the VR46 Ducati. "We had some issues but I managed to get a great pace and a great lap on the time attack," Quartararo stated. He elaborated on a technical glitch involving the [ride height] device, which hampered his performance in Turn 1. "But overall the pace has been quite fast, although we have to improve a few tenths to be competitive." Quartararo acknowledged the speed of rivals like Bezzecchi and Francesco Bagnaia, indicating that Yamaha still has work to do to close the gap entirely.
Rins, a former Phillip Island winner, wasn't far behind Quartararo, securing sixth place despite facing early setbacks due to a clutch problem. "I'm so happy because the day was quite good," Rins declared. "This morning, we were struggling a lot with some clutch problems. We lost a lot of time. And MotoGP right now is super tight, so as soon as you lose some laps, you have a lot of work to recover." Rins highlighted the importance of securing a Q2 spot, emphasizing the intense competition in MotoGP. And this is the part most people miss... Rins also offered some candid feedback about the Yamaha's handling characteristics at Phillip Island. "The Yamaha is working not bad here, but as a rider with experience of other manufacturers here, right now the bike is shaking a lot. It's like a little bit aggressive," he explained. He contrasted the Yamaha's demanding nature with other bikes he has ridden at the circuit, suggesting that riders need to work harder to extract the bike's potential. "Let's try to take the best of the Yamaha and try to improve the areas that we are missing," Rins concluded.
But here's a controversial take: Rins' comments hint at a potential trade-off. Is Yamaha prioritizing outright power and acceleration, even if it means sacrificing some smoothness and rider comfort? Some might argue that a slightly more aggressive bike is necessary to compete at the highest level, while others might contend that a more rider-friendly machine would ultimately deliver better results over a race distance.
Not all Yamaha riders experienced the same success. Jack Miller, riding for Pramac Yamaha, topped the charts in FP1 with a late time attack on new tires but slipped to 13th in the afternoon session. His teammate, Miguel Oliveira, finished in 16th place. This underscores the importance of setup and rider confidence at Phillip Island, where even small adjustments can have a significant impact on performance. This raises a question: Is the current Yamaha setup particularly sensitive, rewarding certain riding styles while penalizing others?
What do you think about Yamaha's performance so far? Do you believe they can maintain this momentum throughout the weekend? And do you agree with Rins' assessment of the Yamaha's handling characteristics? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
