After a year and a half, Fabio Quartararo is back on the MotoGP podium, having finished second at the Spanish GP – getting between the Ducatis.
The Monster Energy Yamaha rider just didn’t have the pace to hold off Álex Márquez (BK8 Gresini/Ducati), after starting from pole position. «El Diablo» said at the press conference that this round had a special meaning and that it was important to lead: ‘It’s really special, it was a special weekend for me – the pole position, the start of the Sprint quite aggressive with Marc [Márquez] in the first corner. We were fast this weekend. We knew that on Sunday, after Moto2, we are always struggling a bit more. But I could do my pace. My lines are a little different from the others, but we managed to stay in the lead for some laps. It was important for us’.
Even though he could not keep up with Álex Márquez, Quartararo had a good pace to secure the best possible result: ‘As soon as Álex overtook me, I couldn’t even follow for a few corners. Then I could do my pace, and today it was the best position we could finish’.
The Frenchman also spoke about the feeling of fighting at the top again after recent struggles: ‘I really enjoyed the race. It’s been many years since I led a MotoGP race. The feeling of having no one in front is amazing. I think that mentally it was a big step for me to know that we are fast, to know we can be fighting with these guys. But for the next races, we have to have no expectations’.