Quartararo Eyes Consistency, Rins Returns: Indonesian MotoGP Preview

Fabio Quartararo: “Crucial to assess our capabilities” | Alex Rins "anxious!"

Fabio Quartararo eager to determine if impressive Misano performance continues in Indonesia.

This weekend's Indonesian MotoGP will reveal whether Fabio Quartararo's season-best seventh place at Misano – which could have been fifth if not for fuel issues in the second-to-last corner – was just a one-time occurrence or an indication of genuine improvement.

Reflecting on the race in Indonesia on Thursday, Quartararo expressed that it was the best race of the year. He mentioned that they hadn't anticipated maintaining such a fast pace throughout the entire event.

“Regrettably, we ran out of fuel just before the penultimate corner, but overall, we should be pleased. We were quite close to the leader.”

Falling from fifth place to seventh wasn't a disaster for a rider with 11 top-class victories and 31 podium finishes.

Quartararo noted that they would have made a pit stop if they were just one corner earlier. He emphasized that the specific position, whether finishing in fifth or seventh place, was not important. What truly mattered was the progress they had made during the race. He expressed optimism about the future, finding it quite promising.

"The mindset has shifted significantly," he mentioned. "We've been working in this manner since February, but we struggled to find our way. However, since the test before Misano 1, we discovered something promising and now the path forward is quite clear."

"We understand the areas where we need to get better… Now we just need to take action. Clearly, having more power is crucial for us. It's important for single laps, but it's even more critical during the race to stay competitive."

Fabio Quartararo is the sole racer to have secured podium finishes in both prior Mandalika races. His potential to achieve a third consecutive podium may hinge on how swiftly grip improves on the dusty track.

"We definitely require significant traction, particularly on the tire's edge, as we are fine in the driving zone," he stated.

"I believe the initial step is to evaluate the performance of our bike at this location, as we recently spent almost a month in Misano."

"The possibilities at Misano were promising, but it's crucial for us to assess our capabilities on this track. This is particularly true during the first practice session when the track conditions are likely to be less than ideal."

“If we manage to secure a spot in the top ten during Friday's practice session, our chances for a successful race on Sunday will be very high.”

Alex Rins: “I was so anxious, I was practically chewing my hands!"

Alex Rins, who is teammates with Quartararo, is set to return to Monster Yamaha this weekend after being absent from Misano 2 because of illness.

Rins confessed that it was difficult to observe from the sidelines after achieving significant progress with the new engine in the Misano test.

“I was eating and even biting my hands in frustration! At the Misano 1 event, we didn't have the ‘proper’ engine, but during the test, where engine quantities aren't restricted, we got the right one. With that, I was able to go a bit quicker," Rins mentioned, having earlier noted an improvement in his speed by 0.5-0.7 seconds.

"I wish I could have measured my performance against Fabio, especially since he was in excellent form at Misano. We'll see how things turn out here, as I haven't had much time on the bike."

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