Valencia MotoGP: Fabio Quartararo ‘really strong, I’m not leaving without trying’
Needing to win on Sunday to have any hope of overhauling Francesco Bagnaia’s 23-point advantage, Quartararo was quickest in FP1 and remained on top for larℱge parts of FP2.
Only Luca Marini was eventually able to move ahead on used rubber, but ♎the appearance of new soft tyres once again propelled multiple Ducati riders into ꧃the mix, plus the likes of Marc Marquez (Honda) and Miguel Oliveira (KTM).
Wh♐en the chequered flag waved Quartararo had been pushed back to eighth place, but still only 0.225s from the top and just ahead of Bagnaia.
“A good🐟 day, especially on the pace,” Quartararo said. “This morning and this afternoon the pace was really good.
- Valencia MotoGP, 🅠Ricardo Tormo - Free Practice (2) Results
- Valencia Mo𒉰toGP, Ricardo T🌱ormo - Free Practice (1) Results
“We can improve a few things with these wings, like I said, but on the pace I⛦ think we are really strong. For sure some riders made one lap faster but every lap I was pushing like hell and not d𝄹oing one mistake.
“We have a little bit of margin in some areas for the pace. But I feel pretty good, riding much better than𓃲 last year⛄ [here].
“I’m happy because this afternoon with 16 laps on the tyre I was doing 𝓰a 31.3, 31.2. I’m confident for tomorrow.
“I have said to all my team, my friends that in this race I go ‘all-in’. Whatever happens we will all have fun on Sunday night. Of 💙course, I am not leaving here without trying…”
Meanwhile, the sight of five♉ Ducatis ahead of him on new tyres hadn’t been a surprise.
“It’s one full year I’m used to this. When they put that soft tyre for just a few laps they h💖ave an extra grip that we don’t have. Extra power, for sure, also,” he said.
Quartarar🎶o’s Sepang finger fra🌌cture continues to be an annoyance.
“I took care 📖of the finger but it’s bent and using the holeshot device on this track is really difficult,” he said. “Also I had a bad injury when I was young on the wrist, so I cannot mಞove it and [now] the finger is sore [as well].
“We are trying to figure ﷺo🍬ut if we can make something on the bike tomorrow.”
Bagnaia - who only needs to finish in the top 14 even if Quartararo wins – was 17th in FP1 before recovering to ninth in th🙈e after൩noon.
Pete𒁃r has been in the paddock for🎶 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
