Quartararo was delighted: “Zarco rode as if the World Championship title were at stake”

In Friday’s qualifying session, Fabio Quartararo, as so often, put the Yamaha factory team’s pit crew in high spirits with a blistering lap. ‘El Diablo’ squeezed a 1:43.230 min out of the M1, securing seventh place and a direct spot in Q2, whilst also outpacing championship leader Jorge Martin.

In Q2, Quartararo clocked a time of 1:43.0 – too slow. All eleven other riders in the session had posted 1:42-minute times ahead of the sprint. This meant he started the short race from P12. The future Honda rider managed to hold his ground through Turn 1, and after Alex Márquez had left a medium-sized gap in Turn 1, the number 20 found himself in ninth position.

Quartararo kept a low profile and rode his own race – right to the finish. The factory rider commented dryly on the result: “Before the race, I’d assumed I’d finish in 12th or 13th place. So, if we take out the three riders who were definitely on a better pace, ninth place is the best we could have achieved. Sure, we’ll take the point, but we know our potential.” He was referring to the trio who crashed: Alex Márquez (Gresini-Ducati), Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46-Ducati).

Johann Zarco hielt sich vor Raul Fernandez

Foto: Gold and Goose

The 27-year-old was grinning for another reason, though. Quartararo, who was on a soft rear tyre, rode for a long time a good second behind LCR rider and compatriot Johann Zarco and Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez. “Above all, I had a lot of fun in the race. What Johann and Raul were getting up to in front of me was a real treat. The two of them were riding as if the World Championship title were at stake,” said Quartararo with a laugh.

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He lacked the pace to mount an attack on the pair. Quartararo crossed the finish line 1.7 seconds later – and a good ten seconds behind winner Marc Marquez. Ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, Fabio Quartararo remains in 11th place, just behind Honda rookie Moreira.