Curtain falls on the 2023 MotoGP season. A disappointing year for Fabio Quartararo despite some bright spots and positive developments on his bike for the upcoming season.
Once again far off after the qualifying session (15th), the Nice native stood out at the start of the sprint race. By gaining seven places at the start (8th), the Yamaha rider found himself right behind world championship leader Francesco Bagnaia. Unfortunately, just before the halfway point, the Nice native lost the front end while trying to overtake the Ducati rider and crashed.
“I tried everything, I saw the possibility of fighting for the podium and there was nothing to lose,” explained the Frenchman at the finish of the race. “I don’t really care [about the title duel between Bagnaia and Martin, Editor’s note], like in Qatar where I passed Martin. What matters to me is what’s best for me, and that’s what I did today. I was losing so much on acceleration that I had to try some risky things, and unfortunately it didn’t work out, but I think we had a very good race.”
Sick, Fabio Quartararo ensures the essentials
Absent from the Warmup as he was fatigued by an illness that hit him overnight, Fabio Quartararo only aimed to finish this race on his wheels.
After a very cautious start unlike the previous day, the Nice native found himself in 17th place. Taking advantage of various race events, the Yamaha rider managed to climb up to 11th position. “Honestly, before starting I didn’t feel well, so after 27 laps it’s far from ideal. I really gave everything, even if I wasn’t riding well. I’ll have to recover for Tuesday’s tests. What do I take away from 2023? Frustration, for sure, but it gave us experience for the future, so we hope to have a better year next year.”
He still needs to recover to test the latest innovations brought to his Yamaha on Tuesday and Wednesday. These developments could prove crucial for the future of the rider from the Maritime Alps when it comes time to sign a new contract at the end of next season.
