MotoGP Spain J3 Debriefing Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha/13): “My arm was stone”, etc. (Entirety)

On this Sunday, May 2, 2021, fabio quartararo answered questions from journalists from the Jerez circuit – Ángel Nieto at the end of a very difficult Spanish Grand Prix.

We went to listen (via teleconferencing software) to the words of the French pilot.

As usual, we report here the words of fabio quartararo without the slightest formatting, even if the first part (vouvoiement) is translated from English.

---

The first question is pretty obvious, what happened?

fabio quartararo : " VSIt's pretty easy to see that I had a big problem with my arm. I'm really sad because I felt very comfortable at the front, I was fourth and I was able to overtake quite easily. I was comfortable with my pace because we mostly had pace this weekend. But I no longer had any power in my arm and I'm very disappointed about that, but I fought despite the pain until the end. Even though it was for 3 points, I fought. »

Do you have any idea what you can do to fix this?

« I've no idea. I can't answer this question because my brain isn't working at the moment. I have too many thoughts so I prefer not to say anything. I have people looking, like my manager trying to find the best option, but right now I have no idea. »

Have you encountered this problem during the last races and how does this translate into practice?

« Honestly, I was very bad in Portimão last year but this year it was perfect. Every year I came to Jerez it was good. Last year it was a different problem. This year I was leading and as soon as I had a second lead I no longer had any power. I fought for six more laps with the pain to maintain this one second gap, but it became impossible for me because I no longer had any power. It became dangerous to drive from halfway through the race, but I didn't want to stop because I knew that even a point or two could be very important for the championship. So I gave it my all. Unfortunately, yes, I had this problem. »

Is there anything positive to take away from this weekend?

« Everything except the arm problem. I was super fast and stayed calm. I was fourth behind the Ducati and Franco, and I knew I was faster today. Honestly, you start the race and you don't even feel any stress. I was full of confidence and as soon as I was fourth, I said to myself every lap "OK, from now on I'm going to overtake them in the last corner" and every lap I overtook in that corner. And I escaped. Yes, everything was positive this weekend except for this arm problem. I feel really good on the bike. »

Did you have any warning signs of this arm problem and did you plan to do anything before Le Mans?

« I answered before that I had no idea. Of course something will be done because this is not OK. My arm is not OK. As I said, it was a disaster in Portugal last year while this year it was perfect. Here I have never encountered a problem in my entire life and this year it is a problem. So this is something I don't understand. We are still looking but there are many options. But my head is saturated because people tell me to go to this place, others to do that, and currently I am lost. »

Are you going to take the test tomorrow?

« We will see. Now we have to think about it. We'll see what we do tomorrow but for now I want to relax mentally because I don't have any ideas and I could make a bad decision by thinking too quickly. »

Could this problem be related to your riding style?

« I don't know. Honestly. In 2020 it was perfect, zero problems, I felt good for 25 laps and I didn't have the slightest pain. This year it was completely the opposite: I had to brake with four fingers when normally I brake with just one. I couldn't accelerate hard in the straight, except on the last lap to take those few points which can perhaps help at the end of the season. But I have no explanation: I train the same way, and I feel even better on the bike. I don't know. »

Have you had any alerts since the start of the year? Does this concern just one arm or both arms?

« Left arm, nothing at all. I've never had an arm pump on this arm. Right arm, I already had a little pain but it was nothing: That means that it could not condition my result in the race. It's a constant, mild pain. But there, I no longer had any strength: My arm was stone. I do not know what to say. Really. It's hard. It's hard ! I have to think about what to do but for now but I stay with the positive of this weekend, we were super fast, and we had the pace to win. »

What would you like to say to your supporters?

« Simply that I fought until the end and that it was the most important thing to do at the moment. Even if the result was not good, I gave my 100%. I gave myself, even if it was to fight for 13th position and I even fought even harder than to win the first two races. »

Did the problem happen suddenly halfway through the race or gradually from the start?

« My strong point was with worn tires. I had even managed to already have a little more than a second ahead of Jack and even when I had a second lead, I managed to hold on for four more laps with this second, even though I really didn't I didn't feel good on the bike, I had no more strength. But it got worse and worse and in the end I had no strength left and it was undriveable. It was very dangerous but I fought for these three points and I think it was very important. »

Standings for the MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez:  

Credit ranking: MotoGP.com