Sepang MotoGP Test: Franco Morbidelli: ‘Good things’ but ‘huge bad aspect’ exposed, it’s frustrating
While there were many positives for Yamaha at the Sepang test, namely top speed and used tyre performance,𓄧 one ‘huge ba🌌d aspect’ of the 2023 prototype was exposed on the final day.
When Quartararo and Morbidelli, now Yamaha’s only race riders after the loss of the RNF satell💃ite team, faced off against their rivals in a qualifying-style time attack, they were left just 19th (Quartararo) and 20th (Morbidelli) on the timesheets.
The gap to the top was only one-second but that was of little consolation to either rider given the enhanced significance of qualifying this s🌸eason, which each grid position now counting for both the new Saturday Sprint and full𒆙 Sunday race.
“There were many, many good things that we've been trying. The engine is better. I'm happy about t🥃hat. The team has done great work on that and we've been very clinical in trying things and understanding things," Morbidelli said.
“So this is positive and [then] there is a huge bad aspect of today which is the time attack. Unfortunately, I did just one time attack becausꦫe then it was sta💖rting to rain, but I think I would have not have done much better.
“That's☂ the negative aspect of today, but the team will work and we will try to improve this for Portimao test.”
Morbidelli did add one further clue to the qualifying issue, described as a 'nightmare' by 2021 🐟world𒆙 champion Quartararo, revealing it is not simply new tyresꦛ that are the problem, but the combination of new tyres and low fu👍el.
“The bike doesn't work with new tyres a෴nd light [fuel] configuration,” said the Italian.
“With new tyre✅s and💟 race [fuel] configuration, it does. But somehow new tyres and light bike we are not able to make ‘57 like them [Ducati riders Luca Marini and Francesco Bagnaia]. We were able to make ‘58.
“Itꦅ's frustrating. We know that our potential is totally different and I feel that the potential of the bike is not this. But I'm sure that the engineers will work on that and will improve this.”
Morbidelli was also seen with a new frame fitted to one of the M1s in his pit box but said he didn’t get chance to try it and, like the latest aerodynamics, will continue testing different options during the f♔inal pre-season test in Portimao on March 11-12. The 2023 engine spec however, now looks to be decided.
Peter has been in the pad🍃dock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
