If there i🍌s one weakness in Fabio Quartararo's MotoGP t🍌itle armour it's Yamaha's poor wet weather form.

That was again illustrated during opening practice in Texas, when the Frenchman was the top M1 rider in just 15th place on💖 the timesheets, 2.3s behind Marc Marquez (Honda) and 0.8s from title rival Francesco𝕴 Bagnaia (Ducati).

B🍌ut Quartararo insisted a 'big step' had been made compared to his previous wet weather outing, in practice at Misano.

"This morning it was pretty good," said Quartararo, who starts the COTA weekend with a 48-point lead over Bagnaia. "We 🌌made a big change to the setting compared to the last time we rode on the wet and I really liked it.

"Then we tried the medium rear and my feeling was much better, we made♈ a big step.

"I think we still have a margin foꦓr improvement. We’ll use the next sessions to be in the top 10, but in particular I feel very happy about the change we🍨 made."

Team-mate Franco Morbidelli began his second weeken൩d as a factory Yamaha rider in 17th place (+2.7s).

"The practice was decent.🤡 We are trying to understand and find a good basis also on the wet," said the Italian. "We are making s💮ome laps and try-outs on the setting to understand better what we need from the bike.

"We did that and moreover I needed to understand how the leg was working and it’s good because I don’t feel pain anymore, I am just missing some strength, so this is g✱ood.

"At least this morning on the wet I did not feel any pain and that’s good. Now💮 we keep on working and let’s see what happens."

The Petronas Yamahas of Valentino Rossi and Andrea Doviz⛄ioso propped up the timesheet in 20th anꦛd 21st.

Thꦡe track has continℱued to dry since FP1 but further rain is a threat throughout the Austin weekend.