For his rookie year in Moto2 in 2017, Fabio qualified on the front row at Sepang alongside Franco Morbidelli and Miguel Oliveira, and finished sixth at the Misano GP, and seventh at Qatar, Barcelona and Sepang.
Do you have good overall memories of your first season in Moto2?
" Yes. It is true that it could have been better, but I am still satisfied with some of the results I achieved. It is certain that I learned a lot during my first year, so we will have to continue learning because there are a lot of drivers who are very strong this year. I have to continue to achieve good results. »
Here you are now on a Speed Up within Luca Boscoscuro's team, based in Lugo di Vicenza. How did your winter tests go?
“It was quite complicated because in fact we did the whole pre-season with KYB suspensions, then during the last test in Jerez we switched to Öhlins. It has become a whole new motorcycle. We were starting from scratch. There was everything to learn.
“We worked a lot on the development and we weren't that bad because the last time in KYB we were at 1.4*, then for the first time with the Öhlins we went to 0.8**. Finding yourself eight tenths off the lead isn't bad when you're starting from scratch with a motorcycle.
*from February 12 to 14 in Jerez, 1.549 from Aleix Marquez (Kalex EG 0.0 Marc VDS)
**March 6-8 in Jerez, 0.831 from Sam Lowes (KTM Swiss Innovative Investors)
What are the essential differences between the Kalex that you drove last year with the Sito Pons team, and your current Speed Up?
“The Speed Up is a much stiffer motorcycle. And above all I need to get used to it again, because with the recent suspension change, it's still a new bike. It is not easy. »
Have you signed with Speed Up for one or two years?
“I signed for two years. »
Have you started working with Speed Up on the 2019 Triumph-powered bike?
“The Speed Up team is working on the bike, but I haven't tried it yet. I think we'll try that towards the middle or end of the season. »
What are your goals for the Qatar Grand Prix in a few days and, in the longer term, for the season?
“We will say that for the Qatar Grand Prix it is quite complicated because we have just started from scratch. We are missing quite a few tests. So I will first get more and more used to the new suspensions of the bike.
“We're going to try to get a good result there, but I'm not really setting myself a goal for this first race. I will try to do better and better, to improve with each session, and we will see the result. »
And for the whole season, how do you see things?
“With the season of experience I have from last year, I will try to achieve a better result than in 2017. First of all, I need to get used to the bike, and we will see from there. following. »
You have already competed in 49 Grands Prix (two seasons in Moto3 and one in Moto2), yet you are only 18 years old. Don't you sometimes have the impression that people are a little too impatient with you in terms of results, regardless of your young age?
“It’s true that they put a lot of pressure on me when I arrived in the World Championship. Of course it wasn't easy for me because I started very early
in Grand Prix. I was 15 and it really wasn't easy. »
Photos © Speed Up and Fabio Quartararo personally
