A sad 9th place for Quartararo at Motegi: “I hoped for much better”

The rain didn't just make Motegi happy. Far behind the great performances of Marc Marquez and Johann Zarco, fabio quartararo was not at ease on Saturday during qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix. The Niçois, also lacking confidence due to the cancellation of the 3rd Free Practice session, was unable to set a time which placed him only in 9th position on the grid, more than a second behind the pole.

At the end of Q2, the Yamaha rider was far from satisfied. "I'm not happy, because I hoped for much better, confesses the reigning world champion. I still don't understand how it is possible to go to Q2, do a first lap in 56″7 and not do better afterwards, no improvement. (…) So we are a little lost on this circuit in the wet. The feeling is good, but when you look at the times…”

Quartararo in front of Bagnaia: “The problem is how easy it is for them to overtake”

Fabio Quartararo is especially worried about the Grand Prix on Sunday, which is expected to take place in dry conditions. At Motegi, on a track which is not conducive to overtaking with the Yamaha, the Niçois has not yet established a strategy to come back. Fortunately, his main competitors in the championship will be behind him, since Bagnaia will start 12th and Bastianini 15th. “The only problem is how easy it is for them to overtake. I'm more worried about this: where I can overtake, because every braking falls after a straight line. This will be my main problem for the race, but I feel ready and I think we can do something, let's see how, but we will do it. (…) » Quartararo believes that turn 7 will be “the place where I could try” overruns.

Sunday morning, the warm-up session could be one of the most important of the season. All drivers will have to analyze this short session to choose on which type of rubber to start the Japanese Grand Prix. “We still need to talk about the plan, especially about the tires. The soft and medium work well, so let's see which one we are going to wear for the warm-up, it will be a gamble, explains Fabio Quartararo. It will be special to see who chooses the soft, who chooses the medium, with the wear of the tires it will not be an easy task. (…) We didn't have much time on the track. I think we need to understand the tires. It will be important to make the right choice, especially between software and medium; the hard one, I don't think anyone will use it. »

ALSO READ > 1071 days later, Marquez returns to pole position