Fabio Quartararo hit with €1000 fine | “The worst five corners of my career"
The Monster Yamaha star had attempted a wide sweeping line at turn one, but that perhaps meant the didn’t apply enough brake pressure to disengage the holeshot device.
Quartararo then made contact with Luca Marini at Turn 2, struggled through the first Turn 3 with the front suspension still locked, then was pushed wide by Marc Marquez at Turn 5.
The Frenchman dropped to 19th place as a result and eventually took the chequered flag in 16th. Well outside of the points.
“I wanted to go to the outside at turn 1 and carry speed. But I didn't disengage the front device. Then in Turn 2 I had a touch with Marini. In Turn 3, the holeshot device meant I couldn't make any corner speed and when Marc touched me in Turn 5, I went super wide.
“It was the worst five corners of my career!
- Malaysian MotoGP Sprint: New World Championship standings
- Malaysian MotoGP: Results
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“From there, the front tyre pressure went super high, and that made it complicated to overtake. But it‘s good experience for tomorrow. Now we know exactly what not to do on the first lap.”
If he can avoid such early mishaps tomorrow, Quartararo feels he can fight for a top six in the full-length race.
“This morning I had really good pace. So first of all tomorrow morning, we’ll try to have the feeling back from this morning and I think we can make the top 6. The same kind of race as Thailand.”
Completing a bad afternoon, Quartararo was later fined 1,000 euros for undoing his helmet strap in pit lane, as he returned to the garage, during final practice.
"The consequences of an unfastened helmet in an accident are obvious," read the FIM Stewards penalty statement.
Team-mate Franco Morbidelli finished the Sprint as the top Yamaha in eleventh place.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
