Il Nuovo Postiglione - Quartararo says Yahama future in balance after 'toughest' season

The 24-year-old Frenchman won the world title in 2021, and was runner-up in 2022 but finished just 10th this past season which ended on Sunday at the Valencia MotoGP.

"I knew it was likely to be a difficult season but I didn't think it would be this bad," said Quartararo, who failed to win a race for the first time since his debut season in 2019.

"I had a very bad experience with the first part of the season because I expected much better. I didn't know how to get the most out of my bike.

"This season was the hardest of my career in MotoGP, without a doubt."

Quartararo has one year left on his Yahama contract, but warned he will make a decision on his future early next year.

"If the bike doesn't perform well in 2024, it will put a big question mark on my future at Yamaha.

"I'm not setting a deadline for deciding, it will depend on a lot of things, the February tests, the feeling I have on the bike, its potential.

"I don't have any years to lose, I want to be at the best level from the start of the season."

The 2024 season opens with the Qatar MotoGP in March.

"When you find yourself fighting to make top 10 it's frustrating," said Quartararo, who replaced seven-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi at the Yamaha factory team ahead of the 2021 season.

"But it's part of the game and I think that we managed to adapt well and turn our heads around in the second part of the season.

"We managed to achieve good results on the Asian tour with two third places and above all, we were fast.

"But for next year we'll really have to take a big step forward to fight regularly for these kinds of positions."

A.Imbrogno--INP