Fabio Quartararo enters this weekend’s MotoGP round at Mugello determined to end a sequence of three consecutive non-finishes that have left the French rider tenth in the championship standings. The former world champion seeks a fresh start on the Italian circuit, hoping to regain momentum with the help of new Yamaha components.
Recent Struggles and Past Successes Fuel Quartararo’s Motivation
After securing a rare podium for Yamaha with second place at Jerez, Quartararo faced tough challenges in the following races. Rain caused a crash at Le Mans, followed by a mechanical failure in Silverstone that forced him out while leading. His difficulties continued at Aragon, where low grip led to another fall from tenth position, exacerbating his points deficit.
However, Quartararo recalls his strong performances at Mugello, where he claimed victory in 2021, marking the last time a non-Ducati bike won there, and earned a podium in 2022. This history gives him confidence ahead of the race, especially as Yamaha introduces new parts designed to enhance performance on this fast, demanding circuit.
At the test in Aragon, it looked like some of the items we tried could be positive also here in Mugello, so I’m curious to see if that is the case,
Quartararo explained.
I really like this circuit, and the grip here is usually better than in Aragon too, so let’s see what we can do. We will give it our all, as usual.
Teammate Alex Rins Seeks Breakthrough at Mugello
Quartararo’s teammate Alex Rins heads into the Italian Grand Prix still searching for his first top-ten finish on race day this season. Seated 17th overall, Rins hopes to build on a promising test session held at Aragon.
We tried a lot of things at the Aragon test, and we finished it with a good feeling,
said Rins.
However, as I said then, we are still planning on starting this race weekend with our usual base set-up. We believe we found a good base, but we’ll need to do some tweaks to avoid last race’s issues.
We want to do well because the Italian GP is sort of our team’s home race.
Yamaha’s Technical Team Eyes Performance Gains from New Parts
Team director Massimo Meregalli is eager to observe how the latest Yamaha M1 components will perform at Mugello, a circuit characterized by its high speeds and flowing corners. These parts had been tested not only at Aragon but also by the Pramac team and factory test riders in Barcelona, providing valuable data that could translate into improved race pace.
The extra data that our team has collected at the Aragon test can come in helpful this weekend,
Meregalli noted.
It will be interesting to check our findings during an actual race weekend at a very different track.
Looking Ahead to the Italian Grand Prix Weekend
The Mugello race weekend begins with opening practice on Friday, where teams will assess track conditions and fine-tune their setups. For Quartararo, this represents an important opportunity to reset after recent difficulties and re-establish himself as a strong contender in the championship battle.
With Yamaha’s new parts and Mugello’s generally better grip, both Quartararo and Rins aim for improved results that could revive their seasons. Success at this event would not only boost their standings but also provide confidence for the remaining races of the year.
