Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Miss Out on Q2 by a Hair on Assen Friday
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Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP's Fabio Quartararo opened the TT Assen weekend with a good feeling, but he just missed out on the Q2, setting the eleventh-fastest time in the Practice session. Álex Rins made solid progress over the course of the Friday but suffered a similar fate to his teammate. He wrapped up the Practice in 14th position and will also take part in tomorrow’s Q1.
TT Circuit Assen (The Netherlands), 28th June 2024
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team stayed busy during the three-week 'spring break' with various private tests and were keen to continue their work on the TT Assen Friday. Fabio Quartararo had a good feeling with the bike and came very close to a place inside tomorrow's Q2. Missing out by just 0.041s, he finished the Practice in 11th position. After a challenging morning session, Álex Rins found a time improvement in the afternoon and placed 14th in the final rankings, putting him also on the Q1-entry list for tomorrow.
Quartararo was keen to build onto his findings from the private Valencia Test. After setting the fourth-fastest time in the morning FP1 session, the number-20 rider was feeling motivated to gun for a place inside the top 10 in the afternoon. El Diablo used the one-hour Practice session to make some set-up changes before putting them to the test in the time attack. He briefly held fifth place with 10 minutes still on the clock, but he faced stiff competition. The Frenchman was pushing hard when yellow flags in the final stages halted his progress. Quartararo's best time, a 1’32.054s set on lap 22/25, saw him miss out on a spot in Q2 by a hair. He took 11th place, 0.714s off today's fastest time.
Rins didn't quite find the pace he was looking for in the morning in FP1 and worked mostly on the electronics. He ended the session in 16th place and soldiered on in the afternoon. The Spaniard was keen to find a time improvement in the Practice. Having made some changes to the setting to make it fit the iconic but tricky TT Assen track better, he made progress. In the final minutes, during the time attack, he briefly featured inside the top 10. However, his best effort, a 1'32.203s, posted on lap 23/26 ultimately put him in 14th position in the timesheets, 0.863s from first.
The teammates will be back in action for FP2, held tomorrow from 10:10 - 10:40 (GMT +2). The qualifying sessions will follow from 10:50 - 11:30, and the 13-lap Sprint will start at 15:00.
Quartararo was keen to build onto his findings from the private Valencia Test. After setting the fourth-fastest time in the morning FP1 session, the number-20 rider was feeling motivated to gun for a place inside the top 10 in the afternoon. El Diablo used the one-hour Practice session to make some set-up changes before putting them to the test in the time attack. He briefly held fifth place with 10 minutes still on the clock, but he faced stiff competition. The Frenchman was pushing hard when yellow flags in the final stages halted his progress. Quartararo's best time, a 1’32.054s set on lap 22/25, saw him miss out on a spot in Q2 by a hair. He took 11th place, 0.714s off today's fastest time.
Rins didn't quite find the pace he was looking for in the morning in FP1 and worked mostly on the electronics. He ended the session in 16th place and soldiered on in the afternoon. The Spaniard was keen to find a time improvement in the Practice. Having made some changes to the setting to make it fit the iconic but tricky TT Assen track better, he made progress. In the final minutes, during the time attack, he briefly featured inside the top 10. However, his best effort, a 1'32.203s, posted on lap 23/26 ultimately put him in 14th position in the timesheets, 0.863s from first.
The teammates will be back in action for FP2, held tomorrow from 10:10 - 10:40 (GMT +2). The qualifying sessions will follow from 10:50 - 11:30, and the 13-lap Sprint will start at 15:00.
Massimo Meregalli
Team Director
Fabio Quartararo
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider
We had a few yellow flags, but we know that our current position is somewhere between 9th and 12th. We have to try to step it up a little bit to get into Q2 more easily. Unfortunately, we are out of Q2 today. The new engine works pretty well, but here in Assen, this is not a track where this engine will make a big difference. For me, at tracks like Austria and Misano this engine will be better. We are also still working on turning and the agility. We have to do the best possible qualifying tomorrow and the best Sprint race possible.
Honestly, I'm super happy that Pramac Racing is joining Yamaha. Last year they won the Team Title. We take this opportunity to work with them, and to have two more Yamahas on track next year is amazing, to be faster and collect more data. So, I am super happy that Pramac will join us.
Honestly, I'm super happy that Pramac Racing is joining Yamaha. Last year they won the Team Title. We take this opportunity to work with them, and to have two more Yamahas on track next year is amazing, to be faster and collect more data. So, I am super happy that Pramac will join us.
Álex Rins
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider
It was a little bit better than it was this morning. FP1 was a bit chaotic for us. We struggled with the traction control and spent most of the session to try to set up the electronics in a better way. But this afternoon, we improved a little bit. I had time to work on the set-up, and we changed the bike a bit. I was feeling a little bit better and a bit more comfortable, but we're still far from the top 10. Let's see tomorrow. We need to keep working. Let's see if we can get closer and closer to our rivals and do a good QP so we can start the Sprint and Race in a good way.
I'm quite excited that the Pramac Racing Team is joining us. We will have more data in the future to work with if we have two more bikes on track, so it's good news. I already know from previous seasons that it is great to have data coming in from other riders with different riding styles, so it is going to be important.
I'm quite excited that the Pramac Racing Team is joining us. We will have more data in the future to work with if we have two more bikes on track, so it's good news. I already know from previous seasons that it is great to have data coming in from other riders with different riding styles, so it is going to be important.
However, the biggest news of today is probably the confirmation that Pramac Racing is joining Yamaha. We are all looking forward to starting to collaborate with them in 2025. They will make a great addition. Having two extra Factory bikes will benefit our team too, as it increases the data pool and it aids bike development.