The one who caused a sensation during this 2019 season looks back on his remarkable journey under the Petronas Yamaha SRT colors through an interview broadcast to the press.
Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team rider Fabio Quartararo had an exceptional rookie season, not only winning the Rookie of the Year title in his first season in the MotoGP World Championship, but also becoming World Champion. independent drivers and helping the team win the independent teams' title in their first season in the premier category. During this incredible season, he also managed to score seven podiums, six pole positions, 13 front row starts and a fifth place overall in the World Championship.
As the 2019 season draws to a close, we asked Fabio to tell us about his incredible debut season.
Can you rate your season from one to ten?
“We had an incredible season this year, so maybe eight. The missing two points are due to my mistakes, but I needed to make them to learn for the future. It's important not to overanalyze the year, but it's also true that there were races where we could have done better, like in Australia or at Silverstone. I made mistakes, but that's part of the job and I learned from them. The highlight of the year was pole position at Jerez; It was the first time I finished at the top of a MotoGP session and it was for pole position! »
What have you learned this season and what do you need to learn in 2020?
“I learned a lot about tire preservation, how to ride MotoGP with a full tank and an empty tank, how to play with maps: there are too many things to list them all. It's an incredible experience to be able to ride these bikes, and I learned so much that it's not easy to say everything. Next year I want to do better in the races, because we already know that I am fast in qualifying. »
What role did the team and Yamaha play in your rookie season?
“The role of the team was to teach me, at the beginning of the year, and each member of the team helped me in one way or another. Everyone did a great job and their season is worth a nine out of ten, purely because everyone can always find a way to improve. No bike in MotoGP is easy to ride, but the Yamaha is perhaps the most beginner-friendly, and that helped me a lot to work in a simple way instead of doing stupid things while I was riding. . »
What are you most proud of in your rookie season?
“I am very proud of the entire second half of the season where I was able to fight for the podium in many races. I think the goal for 2020 will be to spend every race fighting for the podium and for the top 5. Of course, my biggest regrets are the crashes at Phillip Island, Sachsenring and Silverstone, but we learned a lot of each of them. »
Your name is now much better known than at the beginning of this year; what effect did this have on you?
“Of course I feel it because last year I was nobody and then suddenly with a big change in performance this year, people started recognizing me in the street or at the airport. But the important thing for me is to try to stay the same person, and not to do stupid things: I want to stay like before. »
What are your expectations for 2020?
“My expectation for next year will be to fight for the podium in every race and to be in the top 5 when you can't be in the top 3.”
What is your plan for the winter holidays?
“I will be at home, training hard and riding motorcycles as much as possible, because winter is the only time I can ride motorcycles without a lot of risk and pressure! »
