Quartararo prepared to ‘go for it, but I will not push over my limit’

With a 48 point lead over Francesco Bagnaia, MotoGP series leader Fabio Quartararo is prepared to fight like in Misano, while not going ‘over my limit’.

Robert Jones

30 Sep 2021

Fabio Quartararo, MotoGP, Grand Pris of the Americas 30 September 2021
© Gold and Goose

With just four rounds left of the 2021 MotoGP world championship, Fabio Quartararo’s 47 point lead over Francesco Bagnaia leaves him relatively comfortable, but not home and dry just yet.

Quartararo has lost points to the Italian in the last two rounds (Aragon and Misano), however, COTA could lend itself to favour Quartararo and Yamaha due to many long corners and rapid changes of direction.

Before Misano two weeks ago, a race Quartararo came close to winning, the French rider said that would be the round where he starts to think of the championship position.

But, Quartararo remains eager for race wins and fighting with Bagnaia. So much so that ‘I will go for it if I can achieve something like Misano or better’.

Quartararo said: "Honestly, in Misano behind Jack [Miller] I had some moments (thought about the championship), but as soon as I overtook Jack, I saw Pecco [Bagnaia] in front and I said ‘I needed to give it a try’.

"Second is okay for the championship and at the end it’s the position we finished in at Misano.

"But, it’s the race where I had the most fun this year; a shame that we didn't take that place at the end, but the race was going super fast, and I want more of this at the end.

"Of course, if I see that I’m in a tricky situation then I will not push over my limit, but if I can achieve something like Misano or a little bit better I will go for it."

This weekend’s American round will be just Quartararo’s second race at COTA due to the event being cancelled in 2020 because of Covid-19.

Even so, the 22 year-old is confident the experience he gained in 2019 can lead to a good result, not to mention the much improved 2021 M1 package he has underneath him.

"We took a lot of experience from 2019 so we will go much better. It’s a track that I like and we can achieve a good goal," added Quartararo.

"Of course, we know that the back straight will be something difficult for us. The first sector and the last one will be an important one to recover."