Breaking news
MotoGP
Quartararo upgraded to 2019-spec Yamaha
MotoGP rookie Fabio Quartararo has been upgraded to a 2019-spec Yamaha for his debut premier class season with the newly-formed Petronas SRT outfit.
Oriol Puigdemont
Edited: Feb 7, 2019, 2:12 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The Petronas team, which replaces Tech 3 as Yamaha's B-team in 2019, had originally planned to put Moto2 graduate Quartararo on a 'B-spec' year-old bike this season.
However, a late decision has been made by Yamaha to supply its new satellite operation with two 2019 machines for its first premier class campaign, meaning Quartararo joins teammate Franco Morbidelli in having the current bike at his disposal.
Despite being on the new bike, it will still be a B-spec package for Quartararo. Morbidelli will still be prioritised for upgrades being handed down by the factory, the Italian set to receive upgrades two races after they are debuted by works pair Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales.
Quartararo will also have fewer engines to use over the course of the season than Morbidelli, with slightly reduced rpm to extend their life.
"That Fabio will have a 2019-spec Yamaha is a very good sign, and indicates Yamaha's mindset," team manager Wilco Zeelenberg told Motorsport.com. "It's something that has surprised even Petronas.
"It relates to the engine and other components, in addition to the upgrades. Fabio's engines will be a bit more limited than those of the others, but that is normal because he is in his first year and has to adapt to the category."
Morbidelli and Quartararo both made a strong impression in post-season testing last year at Valencia and Jerez, Morbidelli ending up sixth overall in both tests.
On the opening day of 2019 running on Wednesday in Sepang, Morbidelli was 12th-fastest, eight tenths slower than pacesetter Marc Marquez, while Quartararo placed 18th.
"These results would have been impossible without Yamaha, which from the first day has been helping us," added Zeelenberg. "In Valencia and Jerez there were 10 engineers from the factory in our workshop.
"Petronas is not here to survive, to let the years go by. It has entered the championship the way it did in order to win."
Read Also:
Franco Morbidelli, Petronas Yamaha SRT
Photo by: Gold and Goose / LAT Images
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Yamaha 2019 engine spec "more or less decided"
Next article Vinales goes 0.5s clear on second day of Sepang test
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Oriol Puigdemont
Maverick Vinales: “If I stay at home, I don’t get paid”
MotoGP
MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
Maverick Vinales: “If I stay at home, I don’t get paid”
MotoGP riders ask for guarantees to go and race in Qatar
MotoGP
MotoGP
Australian GP
21 h
MotoGP riders ask for guarantees to go and race in Qatar
More from
Fabio Quartararo
MotoGP riders oppose fines for missing fan events
MotoGP
MotoGP
Indonesian GP
MotoGP riders oppose fines for missing fan events
Fabio Quartararo forced to leave Monster as Red Bull returns to Honda
MotoGP
MotoGP
Fabio Quartararo forced to leave Monster as Red Bull returns to Honda
Fabio Quartararo: MotoGP should have the same number of sprints as F1
MotoGP
MotoGP
Fabio Quartararo: MotoGP should have the same number of sprints as F1
More from
SIC Racing Team
Yamaha explains why Morbidelli wasn’t given factory bike
MotoGP
MotoGP
Yamaha explains why Morbidelli wasn’t given factory bike
Morbidelli felt he was Yamaha's ‘lowest-rated’ rider
MotoGP
MotoGP
Morbidelli felt he was Yamaha's ‘lowest-rated’ rider
Morbidelli: ‘A-spec’ Yamaha not an advantage in 2021
MotoGP
MotoGP
Morbidelli: ‘A-spec’ Yamaha not an advantage in 2021
Latest news
"Just undriveable" – Isack Hadjar looking for answers after "massive" struggles in Austin practice
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
31 min
"Just undriveable" – Isack Hadjar looking for answers after "massive" struggles in Austin practice
Maverick Vinales: “If I stay at home, I don’t get paid”
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
Maverick Vinales: “If I stay at home, I don’t get paid”
The unexpected problem Honda encountered despite its second F1 power unit upgrade
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
The unexpected problem Honda encountered despite its second F1 power unit upgrade
MotoGP Australian GP: Full starting grid as four riders forced out of Phillip Island race
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
MotoGP Australian GP: Full starting grid as four riders forced out of Phillip Island race
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe