QUARTARARO WON’T QUIT THE FIGHT
SRT rider went down in Valencia, but he’s not out
AFTER making a dream start to the season, the wheels have finally come off Fabio Quartararo’s championship run after a heartbreaking outing at the European Motorcycle Grand Prix in Valencia on Sunday.
The Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team (SRT) rider, however, has vowed to not give up on the championship fight until the last chequered flag of the MotoGP season.
The Frenchman crashed on the opening lap at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit on Sunday after trying to avoid Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), who had crashed in front of him.
Quartararo, who rejoined the race, finished a disappointing 14th as championship leader Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar) took the win with compatriot Alex Rins ensuring a one-two finish for Suzuki, the first for the Japanese manufacturer since 1982.
Quartararo remains second in the championship on 125 points and still has an outside chance of winning the title.
But with a 37-point advantage, Mir appears to have the decisive break he needs and will be the man to beat in the final two races of the season.
“At the beginning of the race, Aleix crashed just in front of me and in trying to avoid him, I crashed as well,” said Quartararo, who has three race wins so far this season.
“Mathematically, winning the title is still possible.
“We need to take a little bit more risks to try and fight with the top guys in the final two races. I will never give up until the last chequered flag in Portimao (season finale).”
Teammate Franco Morbidelli finished 11th after struggling with tire pressure issues. The Italian is now fifth in the standings on 117 points.
The world championship grid will race for a second time at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit this weekend for the Valencia GP before the Portugal GP (season finale) next week.
Mir said: “I'm super happy. This is what I was missing, one victory, and it came at the perfect moment.”
The 23-year-old is the ninth different rider to take the chequered flag in 12 races.
A podium finish for Mir at this weekend’s Valencia MotoGP would secure the title, ending the injured Marc Marquez’s four-year dominance.
“We’ve had a very good weekend,” said Mir.
“Now we need to be more intelligent than ever. Even with this victory, the championship is not done yet. However, I’m in a much better position than Friday. If I’m not able to fight for the win, scoring points will be enough.”
Valentino Rossi’s return to racing was short-lived as the seventime MotoGP champion retired just five laps into the race after engine trouble.
The Italian had been given the all-clear Friday after missing the past two races following a positive coronavirus test.
Rossi, 41, is a lowly 15th and hasn’t scored a point since coming fourth at the San Marino GP on September 13.
Italy’s Marco Bezzecchi won the Moto2 race as Britain’s Sam Lowes lost the championship lead after falling at the Valencia race track.
Kalex rider Enea Bastianini of Italy has now edged ahead of Lowes in the race for the world title with just two races remaining He is on 184 points with Lowes on 178.
Spain’s Raul Fernandez took his maiden win in the Moto3 race after championship leader Albert Arenas was disqualified for riding into the back of a rival.
Japan’s Ai Ogura came third on the day to climb to second in the championship just three points adrift of Arenas.