Fabio Quartararo had "forgotten what it felt like to be on the front line"

An eternity. Almost three years to be exact. That's how long the wait has been fabio quartararo for a new first line in MotoGPThird on the grid for the Qatar Grand Prix, the French rider slotted into the middle of a quartet of Ducatis, causing a surprise on the Losail circuit. Since 2017, Yamaha has encountered numerous problems, particularly in terms of top speed. Little by little, the team has managed to extract more power from its inline four-cylinder engine, the last of its type still in competition.

The 2021 world champion admitted as he stepped off the bike in the Parc Fermé that he had almost forgotten the feeling of such strong qualifying performances. Like their compatriots at Honda, the Iwata brand is beginning a resurrection this year, after hitting rock bottom over the past two seasons. While the road ahead is still long for the blue machines, Fabio Quartararo hopes that this front row position will give him the tools he needs to put in two strong races this weekend, even if the pure pace over a stint is undoubtedly less impressive than that of the Ducatis.

“It feels really good to be on the front row, I honestly forgot what it felt like! It’s going to help us a lot in the races. Our pace isn’t great yet, but I think starting third will help us a lot.”, he said to the MotoGP microphone. "To manage to do a fast lap like I did is nice, pushing yourself to the limit and feeling like you're going really fast. It can help us to start on the front row. The goal was to finish between sixth and eighth, and we did much better.", he then rejoiced on Canal+.

A more cautious approach for Quartararo?

One can only hope for "El Diablo" that this Qatar Grand Prix goes better than his race in the Netherlands in 2022. Having started second at Assen, Quartararo ended up in the gravel after an attempt to overtake Aleix Espargaró, before retiring a few laps later with another crash. Fighting for a second consecutive title, the Frenchman had to take all risks to contain the comeback of Francesco Bagnaia's Ducati. This weekend, he will likely take a more cautious approach, aiming to maximize points for himself and his team.

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