Quartararo has “good connection” with Yamaha’s ex-Ducati MotoGP engineer

Bartolini is a result of a recruitment drive from Yamaha in a bid to improve its form, after going from title contenders in 2021 and 2022 to a first winless season in 20 years in 2023.

The Italian previously served as Gigi Dall’Igna’s right-hand man at Ducati before he was approached by Yamaha.

The Japanese marque also poached aerodynamics engineer Marco Nicotra from Ducati for 2024.

At the end of pre-season testing, Yamaha appeared to have found more top speed from its M1, but the grip issues in qualifying trim that have plagued it for some time persisted, much to Quartararo’s frustration.

Quartararo says Bartolini can’t be expected to make a big impact right now given how fresh to the project he is, but says he “really loves” his way of working.

“The thing is, Max arrived a few months ago – I don’t know if even two months, one and a half,” Quartararo said.

“So, I can’t expect him to understand everything. He needs to understand the bike, already the way we are working is really good, I really love [this] and this is why I’m really motivated because I feel like we are really working in a good way.

Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“I have to be patient because it’s never a pleasure to finish six-tenths to someone.

“But I think that he’s really calm and when I’m going into the box and I’m angry, I look at him and he’s laughing because he knows that we are missing a lot.

“But he needs time, we all need time and I think it will arrive. But not right now.”

Quartararo added: “Really good connection. I talk a lot with him, I think he’s great.

“The first meeting with him was like three hours. I was asking him question, question, questions and for him it was difficult because he moved from a factory that was winning.

“It’s also a big challenge for him and, first of all for myself, I want to be back winning but someone moving from a factory like they are winning for the last three years and he move I think it’s a big challenge for him and I want to be a part of this challenge for him to be back at the top also.”