Quartararo raises MotoGP title hopes with second win in seven days
Fabio Quartararo was once more in imperious form to consolidate his long-awaited maiden victory in MotoGP last weekend by promptly following it up with an even more commanding win in the Andalucia MotoGP
The Frenchman became MotoGP’s newest race winner in Jerez last Sunday with a measured performance that saw him work his way back into the lead fight after a poor start from pole position.
Repeating that feat in qualifying again this weekend, Quartararo made no mistake at the start this time to lead into turn one, with a bungled attempt at a pass from Maverick Vinales through the final corner the closest he came to being challenged.
Winning by more than four seconds having led every lap, Quartararo was thrilled to maintain the momentum at the end of an intense two-week period for himself and the Petronas SRT Yamaha team.
“That one was tough,” he said. “Normally we start with a new tyre on the grid but today we decide with Yamaha to make the warm up – three laps – to see if the tyre was ok.
“So happy, we make an amazing pace from the beginning to make the gap, change the mapping so fast. I was so happy because I made my pace, it was really tough. When I arrived at two seconds, to make four was so difficult.
“I did make some mistakes today but small ones. It was so tough, to make 25-laps at the front with this temperature… I think it was the hardest race of my life, honestly. It was so hot, no air, my hand and my feet were so hot. So it was really difficult but honestly I felt really good on the bike.
“What’s difficult in MotoGP is sometimes, when you finish a race in Moto is sometimes it’s one condition, then it’s another. From last week the condition was different, we need to adapt so quick. I think that’s the most difficult thing in Jerez.”
Though Quartararo’s superb rookie season in 2019 means his front-running form doesn’t come as a surprise per se, it is still easy to forget this is still only his 21st career race in the premier category.
Nonetheless, he says being able to lead from the front today shows how far he has come along since making his debut.
“The consistency for 25 laps was good, [but] it was really difficult because it wasn’t the same conditions as last week so I really needed to ride in a different way. Performing in these types of conditions I have improved a lot on from last year.”
