Fabio Qua🥀rtararo insists that Yamah🅘a are “not close” to solving their single lap speed.

The 2021 MotoGP champion was 10th-fastest on Monday, the fir🔯st of two days preseason testing in Qatar.

A new year has brought new buoyancy around Yamaha but ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚtheir star rider continues to 🔜deliver blunt realism about their progress.

Questioned about the ‘dino wings’ aero and the new exhaust he used on Monday, Quartararo explained: “It’s really important for us to find🔜 the way to make the bike more⭕ smooth, and to find grip on the time attacks.

“That’s where we are losing a lot.

“The pace is not too bad.

“We are🌠 making step🐻s forward, making big changes on the bike.

“Hopefully we can find a way, really soon.”

Asked if significa♈nt progress could be made on Tuesday, the final day of preseason testing before the 2024 MotoGP begins on March 8, Quartararo was bruta꧒lly honest.

“No, we🍬 are not close. Not close to achieving it,” he said.

“W♛e have to be calm. There is still a lot of work t🌠o do.

“I am really motivated. I try to stay calm.

“The team is working a lot. I don’t know when.

“But this is the most important part of the bike - the rear grip, especially for on✱ﷺe lap.”

Yamaha, who have added Alex Rins to their rider duo in Franco Morbidelli’s place, hope to a🐬rrest the dreadful slide experienced last season.

Massimo Bartolini, their new technical director recꦜruited from Ducati, is widely considered to be an ins🙈pired coup behind-the-scenes.

But Yamaha know that may only have months (or weeks) to convince Quartararo that 🌳they can become competitive again in order to keep him long♛-term.

Quartararo’s contract expires at the end of this𒊎 season and he will𒆙 need to see significant strides in Yamaha’s development before committing to a new deal.