Yamaha Surprises Everyone with Stellar Performance at Australian MotoGP Practice!
Yamaha came into Friday’s practice at the Australian MotoGP with high hopes, but few could have predicted just how impressive the team’s performance would be. Factory riders Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins not only secured direct entry into Qualifying 2 by finishing inside the top six, but they also demonstrated an unexpectedly strong race pace that has left fans buzzing. But here's where it gets interesting: both riders managed to dip into the 1m 27s on used soft rear tyres before the official time attacks even began, hinting at serious potential for the race.
"Our start to the weekend has gone beyond what we expected," said Yamaha team director Massimo Meregalli. "We knew we might face difficulties here due to the lower grip levels compared to Mandalika, but so far both riders are feeling confident and able to push hard. The team is highly motivated to carry this momentum into Saturday."
Quartararo finished the day in fourth place, just 0.4 seconds behind Marco Bezzecchi, and a mere 0.1 seconds from Raul Fernandez's Aprilia, effectively running neck-and-neck with VR46 Ducati’s Fabio di Giannantonio.
"We faced a few challenges, but I managed to find a great pace and a solid lap during the time attack," Quartararo explained. "We had some issues with the ride height device when recovering in Turn 1, which made using it on the straight a bit tricky, and we know it’s really important. Overall, though, the pace has been strong. We still need to improve a few tenths to be fully competitive. I was fast, but Marco and Pecco were flying, and Diggia too. Let's see how tomorrow unfolds."
Alex Rins, a former Phillip Island winner, ended the day just under a tenth of a second behind Quartararo in sixth place, despite losing valuable track time in the morning due to a clutch problem.
"I'm thrilled because the day went quite well," Rins said. "This morning, we struggled with clutch issues and lost a lot of time. MotoGP is incredibly competitive right now, so losing laps puts you behind quickly. But in the afternoon, we bounced back and set a solid lap. The most important thing is that we're in Q2."
Rins added a note of caution, "The Yamaha isn’t bad here, but from my experience with other bikes on this track, it’s quite aggressive and shakes a lot. It’s more demanding than the other motorcycles I’ve ridden at Phillip Island. Our focus now is to maximize what the Yamaha can do and improve the areas where we’re still lacking."
On the other hand, Pramac Yamaha riders struggled a bit. Jack Miller, who had topped FP1 after a late tyre change, fell back to 13th in the afternoon session, while his teammate Miguel Oliveira ended up in 16th place.
So, Yamaha looks strong, but can they keep this momentum going under the pressure of qualifying and race day? Fans and pundits alike are eagerly watching — and opinions may differ on whether Yamaha's surprising pace will hold up when it really counts. Do you think Quartararo and Rins can turn this promising start into a podium finish, or will the pressure of the competition catch up to them?
