Does Quartararo have a chance at Mugello?

This weekend, the paddock of MotoGP sets his bags on the Mugello circuit for the Italian GP, ​​eighth stage of the 2022 calendar. In 2021, when everyone had bet on the victory of a Ducati, it is fabio quartararo who won with a boulevard in advance. Worse, no representative of the Bologna firm appeared among the first three since the Nice native was joined by Miguel Oliveira (KTM) and Joan Mir (Suzuki) on the podium.

With nine Ducatis on the grid on Sunday, can Quartararo do it again? “It’s not a bad circuit for us,” he admitted this Thursday. But if we're in a bad position it can be difficult, so it's a bit of a 50/50 situation. »

As usual, for Quartararo it will be about performing good qualifications, getting off to a good start and trying to widen the gap as quickly as possible. “Having good qualifying, a good start and good first laps can change our race,” added the world champion. We'll see what happens, but I think the next two (race, editor's note) are going to be difficult. »

Last year @FabioQ20 took pole position at Mugello by stopping the clock in 1'45.187 ⏱️

Who will start from pole this Sunday? ✊ Guess the pole lap time to win amazing prizes 🎁 with #MotoGPPredictor & @TISSOT 👉 https://t.co/E5Ub83irsJ pic.twitter.com/FL7POWEHhW

- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) May 24, 2022

In 2021, Valentino Rossi was the Yamaha rider with the highest top speed: 351.7 km/h at the end of the 1.2 km straight. That's almost 10 km/h less than Brad Binder's KTM (362.4 km/h) or Johann Zarco's Ducati (360 km/h). Quartararo will have to once again grab tenths here and there to make the difference. “I hope to be able to have more or less the same difference in km/h as last year, because we know that the other manufacturers have made a lot of progress,” he underlined. But I think sectors 2 and 3 are the strong points of our bike, it is really good here. I'm comfortable in these corners, and putting myself at the limit is a good help. »

A new fairing on the YZR-M1 at Mugello

To support this task, Yamaha will release a new aerodynamic fairing this weekend. “If it can bring a few tenths… hopes Quartararo. What I can do is give my best. I'm attacking as hard as possible from Qatar. But here I feel confident, Mugello is one of my favorite circuits. Let's see if we can have a good pace, a good qualification and we'll see on Sunday. »

The unknown of the weekend remains the weather with rain forecast for Saturday and Sunday… See you on May 29 at 14 p.m.