The Spanish Grand Prix comes one week after the first round of the European season, dominated by Fabio Quartararo. After the triumph in Portimao, the reigning world champion arrives in Jerez as championship leader and is determined to confirm himself on a track that adapts to the characteristics of his M1.
Consolidating the lead will be one of the Yamaha rider’s goals this Andalusian weekend. In addition, El Diablo will seek redemption after last year’s race, in which he was launched towards victory but had to surrender to the arm pump which then forced him to undergo surgery. In 2022, however, after a particularly difficult and frictional start to the season with Yamaha, Quartararo found his form again in Portimao.
“It was an important moment, for us it was great because there wasn’t a lot of dry track and we know that our base is very similar compared to last year. Despite this I managed to go fast, especially in the race. On the third lap, making 39 ”4 was important, but above all returning to win after a difficult start to the season is always great. It is very nice to have another consecutive race on one of my favorite tracks ”.
“Last year was my problem, not with the bike,” he continues. “This year, however, my conditions are perfect and I’m sure we can go very fast. But we will have to work with a normal weekend. I think we will have the potential to fight for the win, but we have to proceed step by step from Friday and then we will see what speed we will have ”.
But Quartararo will have to face many rivals. The gaps were very close last year and the start of 2022 also showed a great balance in terms of performance. The teams arrive in Jerez with a lot of data collected in the first tests of this season, but according to the reigning world champion the race weekend will be a different story: “Honestly, I think that in tests it is always different than at the weekend, because you never know who runs with new tires, who tries the race pace. Over the course of the weekend the most important thing will be to do a great qualifying because last year here we were 15 riders within five tenths of a second. Then you have to work hard on the pace and these two things will make the difference “.
Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
One of the rivals from which El Diablo will have to watch his back is Alex Rins, author of an extraordinary comeback last Sunday in Portimao and second in the general classification, but with equal points. The recovery of the Suzuki rider in the race has denied the common opinion that today overtaking in MotoGP is difficult. However, the Frenchman continues to be of this opinion: “It’s difficult for me to overtake, but I think Alex Rins made one of the best starts I’ve ever seen in MotoGP, in the first four or five corners he was totally on the limit, but he managed to make the best choices. But if we compare the departures over the last three years, I remember that at the start you pressed the launch control and went. Now you have to think about many things. Clearly you gain some time, but it is also true that everything is more complicated, but in the end it is the same for everyone ”.
Jerez will be the scene of the first tests this season and the riders will take to the track on Monday. At Yamaha the news does not seem to be many, even if Quartararo claims not to be aware of it: “I hope Yamaha brings some horsepower! I feel great on the bike, you can always find something more, but the biggest thing is that we have to find more power. I haven’t talked to the test team yet, but I think there is a swingarm and some electronics to try, but I don’t have much information about it ”.
The tests are held on the eve of the Grand Prix, with the decision of the Grand Prix Commission to reduce the days of testing from 2023 due to the many races on the calendar. Quartararo, however, does not seem to break down: “I think this is the first time we will have two days in Malaysia and I think they were enough. But taking away a day at the end of the season is something I don’t agree with. But in the end it will be the same for everyone, so it will be the same ”.
What colors will Fabio Quartararo see in 2023? There are many rumors about his future and it is news of these last hours that Yamaha has a certain interest in Miguel Oliveira. However, both the team and the riders keep their future reserved, especially the reigning world champion: “I honestly don’t want to talk about my future. I have a clear goal for this year, to win or at least fight for the championship. I have nothing to say about my future. I have the people next to me who are taking care of this ”.
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