Fabio Quartararo is now clearly identified as a factory rider, since he was officially presented with the Yamaha troops as the teammate of a Viñales who is attacking his fifth year within his walls. The Frenchman is the youngest of Iwata's clan, but he is no longer really a beginner. He has three victories on the clock with the M1, acquired in 2020, and he was put in place of Valentino Rossi who took the one that was his within the Petronas team. He wants to be the great rival of Marc Marquez and hopes to experience a rivalry with his new teammate reminiscent of the great times of the one between Lorenzo and Rossi. Certainly, only big names...
Red, Lorenzo, Marc Marquez …The big names have been associated with Fabio Quartararo when presentation troops Yamaha in preparation for the 2021 season MotoGP. Among this prestigious trio, it is nevertheless with the only Marc Marquez that the tricolor will have to measure itself when the official Honda will be able to do its job again. A major rival that he knows for having challenged him in 2019. An experience that made him what he is today, he assures: “ I sincerely hope he comes back, because I think part of my success in MotoGP is thanks to him. When you have Marc in front of you or right behind you, subconsciously you say to yourself: “I have someone here who has dominated the last few years and I want to fight him.” ".
He adds : " having it behind or in front of you makes you give your all and it really pushed my limits. I hope he comes back as soon as possible and does his best physically ". Because fabio quartararo has a particular ambition: “on his return, I hope to be his biggest rival. I work hard and have much more experience to fight with him ».
fabio quartararo : “there are maybe 10 or 12 candidates for the title”
The challenge is launched. But in the meantime, we will have to face other opponents who will be no less dangerous. Indeed, when asked to fabio quartararo to evaluate the rivals who would be the toughest this year, it is difficult to establish an exhaustive list… “ Morbidelli, Viñales, Mir, Rins… We must also take into account Oliveira, who last year was very strong. There are a lot of people. I remember last year in Brno, all six brands were in the top 10 and the top 10 was separated by three tenths ».
« If you make a little difference in pace and qualifying, you can fight for the championship if you have consistency. At the moment it is very difficult to know who the candidates are. Of course, there are many. Also Bagnaia, if he achieves more regularity, he can be a candidate, because in several races he has been very, very fast. I think there are maybe 10 or 12 candidates » assures the tricolor. We will remember that he will have a compatriot on the starting grid in the person of Johann zarco, entered this time within the Pramac team with a GP21.
