Saturday at the MotoGP Spanish GP was set to be a remarkable day for Fabio Quartararo, who achieved his first pole position in over three years. Unfortunately, the day took a downturn as he retired from the Sprint race while fiercely competing with Marc Márquez from Ducati Lenovo for the lead. Despite this disappointment, Quartararo reflected on the day with a positive outlook.
Describing the incident, the Monster Energy Yamaha rider stated, “I wanted to try, to believe as much as possible. Unfortunately, it was just a lap and a half. I felt Marc really close to me on the straight, my bike started shaking. I went a bit wide and I lost the front. It’s a place where no one goes there, I would say. But I was just trying to be close to him; I lost the front quite straight. But it had been three years since I was in this situation of leading a race, and I didn’t care.”
Quartararo emphasized the lack of championship pressure, saying, “We are not playing for the championship – we are not playing for anything at the moment. And the main goal today was to have fun. It’s just an overtake, but being able to try and overtake Marc in the first corner, leading the race, seeing anyone ahead for a lap… it seems to be two minutes, but in my head it’s many years.”
Despite the disappointing outcome, “El Diablo” remained upbeat about his experience in Jerez: “I feel it’s a really positive day. Because being able to have a really good pace in FP2, being on pole position in qualifying, leading a race even for a short period… of course, I wanted to finish on the podium, but the feeling of not being on top had been for many years. It looks like it’s new for me. I think it’s a really positive day, and I would say it’s the most positive day of the year.”
Quartararo’s performance, while cut short, showcases his determination and capability on the track, setting the stage for potential future successes. His insights reveal a mindset focused on growth and enjoyment, which could be key factors in his upcoming races.
