Fabio Quartararo was in the fight for the top spots at the MotoGP Spanish GP from the start, managing to capitalise on pole position and then mixing it up with Ducati riders.
However, the Monster Energy Yamaha rider stated in the press conference that the early phase of the race remains problematic: ‘We are still struggling in the first laps. I also think that the battle with Pecco [Bagnaia] and Marc [Márquez] helped us to make a gap’.
Then, Quartararo explained his approach to the main race in Jerez was identical to that of the Sprint race: ‘My goal on Sunday was the same as on Saturday: try to make the first few laps really strong and then make our pace without asking too much from the front. But we are still struggling at the beginning of the races’.
And speaking of issues, unlike other riders, the 2021 world champion hasn’t experienced excessive vibrations on the bike, but admitted it’s something he does feel occasionally:
– We’ve never had chatter. Well, this year we have a bit, but it’s something that happens in some typical corners – like in Austin, it was on the long, long right where you go in and the rear jumps. This weekend I had zero chatter, and during the race I had chatter in the two fast lefts – 7 and 8. So, it’s something super strange, because in the past we never used to have it. But also, listening to all the riders, it looks like the corners are really similar and the chatter is similar. So, it’s quite weird. But until this year we didn’t have any chatter.