Aragon GP – Fabio Quartararo: “I Want to Carry This Positivity Forward” – Encouraged by Return of Speed
Fabio Quartararo expressed renewed confidence after a recent race weekend in which, for the first time in a while, he truly felt speed returning to his Yamaha. Reflecting on the performance, he described the experience as overwhelmingly positive — and emphasized his intention to carry that momentum into Aragon and beyond.
Fabio Quartararo:
“A couple of hours after the race, I was able to look back and feel really positive about the weekend. It had been a long time since I felt this kind of speed on the bike. I want to carry that positivity forward. We also had good pace over the long runs, which is a big step. In the past, we sometimes had qualifying speed but struggled in the race — this time it felt more balanced.”
Despite this, Quartararo acknowledged that the Aragon circuit remains a tough one for both him and Yamaha:
“Aragon’s layout doesn’t really suit me, and I’ve never particularly liked it. Last year, I was completely at the back of the field here. Low grip and long straights are exactly the kind of conditions where we usually struggle. But that’s why I’m excited — if we can be competitive here, then I believe we can be strong at the other tracks coming up too.”
He noted ongoing challenges, particularly with rear tire temperature management:
“Last year we didn’t have speed in either qualifying or the race. Now we do have qualifying speed, but we’re still having problems with rear tire overheating — even in sprint races. That’s something we need to keep working on, especially for full-length races.”
Quartararo remains focused on steady progress and sees every gain — no matter how small — as part of Yamaha’s broader journey back toward the front of the grid.
(Photo courtesy of Michelin)