MotoGP – Fabio Quartararo: “it was just survival”

Fabio Quartararo experienced an unstable weekend in Brno, between Friday’s bright spells and a rapid crash on Sunday. Yamaha never found consistency, despite some encouraging signs at the start of the Grand Prix.

The Czech meeting opened under dense heat and already burning asphalt. Friday’s session offered a demanding setting, but hinted at a solid working foundation. Fabio Quartararo approached this Grand Prix without any specific targets, staying true to a cautious approach on a track he knows well. High temperatures characterized the opening sessions, with the thermometer already high from the morning. An unexpected second place nonetheless brought positive momentum to the weekend’s opening. A fresh medium tire allowed the Yamaha to within two tenths of the best time. A performance that restored confidence before the rest of the session. The prospect of a Q1 held in cooler conditions kept alive the idea of a possible Q2 progression. FP2 then took on strategic importance, just minutes before the first qualifying phase.

A troubled Saturday between a missed qualification and grueling sprint

The momentum changed from Saturday morning. The Yamaha remained at the bottom of the timing sheet for a long time before briefly climbing back thanks to a set of fresh tires. In the afternoon, the scorching track halted this progress dead. The day ended with a 14th place, with a significant gap to the day’s benchmark. Q1 confirmed the current difficulties. The fifth-fastest time in the session placed Fabio Quartararo in 15th position on the grid. One place ahead of Luca Marini, but far from the ambitions glimpsed the day before. The sprint race brought no further relief. The Yamaha rider described a rough experience: “I experienced nothing at all, it was just survival. Honestly, I don’t understand why, between this (Saturday) morning and this afternoon, there’s such a significant change on the bike. All that’s left is to finish the twenty laps tomorrow (Sunday) and go home. There’s nothing to hope for in the Grand Prix.” Crashes by several competitors allowed him to gain two positions. 13th place nonetheless meant zero points and lowered morale heading into Sunday.

A Sunday cut short by an early crash

The Grand Prix promised to be difficult, but the start offered a stronger pace than expected. The progress through the opening corners offered hope for a different scenario. The second lap, however, ended any attempt at a comeback. A rapid crash halted the race and sent Yamaha back to the garage. The debrief was marked by a sense of technical confusion: “I’m struggling. The team told me I had to brake harder during race days, so that’s exactly what I did. I managed to pass a few riders, but we saw that we can’t ride the same way as this morning. And there we go, the result… The limit is very close, and especially you don’t feel it. You feel it when you’re already on the ground.” The effort made in the opening laps went unrewarded. “We’re struggling to make this kind of progress. But anyway, honestly, I gave my maximum, to use it for only a lap and a half, but at least I really pushed harder, tried to recover some points.”

A contrasting weekend that leaves Brno behind, with the need to find stability before the next round in the Netherlands next week. Several transfer announcements are expected before then for next season. Good news to come for the Nice native who should announce his move to the other Japanese team.