Yamaha ace Quartararo: A marathon in France instead of a sprint in the desert

Yamaha recently made headlines when the Japanese manufacturer announced its collective withdrawal from the MotoGP event in Doha at the Lusail International Circuit. Both the factory team, featuring Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins, and the Pramac Yamaha team, with riders Jack Miller and Toprak Razgatlioglu, were absent from the desert nation – the field was ultimately reduced to 16 riders.

Meanwhile, Yamaha’s leading rider, Fabio Quartararo, did not sit idly by. The 27-year-old stuck to his training programme and took part in a race of a different kind. The 2021 MotoGP World Champion took part in an unusual endurance running event on the Côte d’Azur, right on the Mediterranean coast. The 18th edition of the ‘Marathon des Alps – Maritimes’ took place there. Quartararo, who hails from Nice, had home advantage.

Also at the start of the running event was Fabio Quartararo’s friend and adviser Tom Maubant, who, incidentally, is in a relationship with Mathilde – the daughter of former MotoGP team owner Hervé Poncharal. For Quartararo, a new era begins on 1 December at the test in Valencia, following a total of eight years with Yamaha. The Frenchman will then take his place on the Honda RC213V for the first time, featuring a fresh design and Red Bull livery.

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20.11.2026 - 09:55