The Japanese manufacturer had been testing an upgraded version of the M1 across the two tests at Sepang this month in its pursuit to close the gap to the front and become a race-winning force in MotoGP again.
Quartararo and new signing Alex Rins both got to ride the 2024 version of the bike in Malaysia, but the reaction to the changes has largely been mixed.
The French rider reiterated that Yamaha has finally managed to deliver a tangible increase in horsepower and that has directly translated into a higher top speed, even as the power delivery remains too “aggressive” for his liking.
However, he highlighted a lack of evolution in other areas, complaining how mechanical grip has remained unchanged since he stepped up to MotoGP on a satellite M1 in 2019.
“The top speed is much better, the engine is better, this is a step,” he explained. “But how we are using it is still difficult. The bike is still really aggressive on the torque.
“We got better aerodynamics and a better engine for sure but we still need time to understand how it's working, how we can make it work better and how to find this mechanical grip that we are missing since 2019.”
Source: Autosport