Fabio Quartararo achieved his dream of becoming MotoGP World Champion somewhat unexpectedly on Sunday after recovering from 15th to battle for the Misano podium.
The Monster Energy Yamaha rider suffered the worst qualifying performance of his premier class career on Saturday but with brighter weather conditions for the Emilia Romagna GP, the Frenchman looked cool, calm and collected as he lined up at the back of the fifth row.
Looks can be deceptive, however, as Quartararo admitted he was unable to eat ahead of the race. The nervous energy obviously turning to adrenaline as he began to fight as soon as the lights went out for the 27-lap show. The progress started slowly, gaining one or two positions a piece in the opening laps, before the momentum kicked in. He was into the top 10 after six laps and up to seventh by the halfway stage before hitting the top five with nine laps left to run.
The podium was in sight as his title rival Pecco Bagnaia crashed out of the lead on lap 23, and with it the realisation that he was the 2021 MotoGP World Champion.
While he lost third position in a last lap tussle with local rider Enea Bastianini - the Avintia rider securing his second rookie year podium on home soil - the race result was a mere afterthought as the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli erupted to fireworks, celebrations and tears for the 22-year-old.
“To be honest, I have already not my original voice,” an emotional Quartararo admitted as the dust settled. “I cry a lot, I scream a lot but feels amazing because, just when I cross the finish line I think of all the tough moments I had. To be world champion in MotoGP is something that I never expect when I was in a bad situation a few years ago. So right now I’m feeling in a dream and I don’t realise what is happening to me right now.
“Yes, of course extra nerves [today] because I never start after P11 in MotoGP and I was starting from P15, on one of the most important races of my career. We chose safe, let’s say, great tyres but for us, the hard would have been much better,” he admitted when reflecting on his race strategy.
“I think that the podium was there with the hard but I had no more stability when I was behind all the group. I couldn’t overtake and I’m really happy about my race, even if I would not have won the championship, because it’s something really great. The experience that I had that we finish in P4. Super happy about my race and of course, with the championship is something extra.
“Just before to start the race I was with Tom in the office and I was nervous, I was feeling stressed, and he said, ‘Just think about the last three races you had last year, that was a total disaster.’ I just wanted to finish the championship, whatever the position was,” he explained. “And today I start the race that make me world champion.
“I think all the things that happened last year, helps me a lot to to win the title today and thanks to all these people for supporting me on this tough moment. I think I learned a lot during these two years in MotoGP and still a lot to learn to achieve more result like that.
“To be honest, last year we fight to have the factory bike, but with the COVID and everything the 19 bike was better,” the Yamaha rider admitted, “but with the ‘21 I felt much better. The feeling on the front is what make me, I think, win this year, the feeling that I had.
“We know that the power is something that we need to work but the feeling I had on the braking to overtake, not this race, but in general, has been much higher than 19 and 20. Yamaha has worked a lot. We still have a lot to improve for next year because we know that the power is something so important but right now, with the bike, I was feeling like one, and is something that I’m enjoying riding. Also today, I had a lot of struggles with my front tyre but I still enjoy a lot and was the most important thing of today.
“I don’t know,” he answered honestly, when questioned on if he had the best bike on the grid. “I don’t try yet the Honda, the Ducati…
“What we can say is that looking at all the other riders and comments. Looks like no, but for me is working pretty well. We are world champion. So I think that we can be really happy. We need to work. To be honest I’m feeling really good with the bike, but I’m struggling in many, many areas, to overtake. Depends the track, this track was so difficult but we know and everybody know where we need to improve. Horsepower. With horsepower, I think we can have the best bike of the paddock, but I think Yamaha know where they need to work and right now I can’t say if it’s the best or not, but we are world champion,” he shrugged.
So if it’s not the best machine, what has got the 22-year-old to this position, with two races left to go?
“I think the consistency,” he replied. “The consistency that we had this year, we finished all the races that we make. Scoring every time points, points, points. I think even in Jerez, I scored three points with the arm pump problem. So I think the consistency of 2021 is same as ‘19 but we are faster so that I think is the key to win the championship this year.
“A key point was also Mugello, when we won, because Bagnaia was super strong. He made a mistake on the second lap, and I had a fight with Johann [Zarco]. That was a key point I think, where I took a lot of confidence back.”
This season has seen a greatly matured Fabio Quartararo, despite the Frenchman’s young age, so what does he put his personal and professional progression down to?
“I think was a natural thing,” he explained. “I think, this year, I never really got angry. Last year I remember in Valencia, the bike was not working at all and I arrived to the box, and I was, not shouting, but telling to my crew chief ‘No, is not turning, I can’t brake, I can’t turn, I can’t accelerate’. But then my crew chief say, ‘Okay, now you’re angry, but you need to tell me what is going on because if we need to improve something, we can improve the braking, the turning and the exit’. So I say ‘Okay he is true. I need to think and right now when you are angry, you can’t describe what is your problems’.
“This year, every time I had a problem - I remember really well when Maverick in Assen, in FP2 was half second faster than us. I stay so calm, that at the end we won the race. When you see that being calm brings you to that kind of result, you want to keep like that. Even if you are in a bad moment, stay calm and you will make a step. So, being calm I think was something that made me grow a lot and that’s why this year I stay all calm. Of course, some moments where I was super angry. Yesterday, when I finish P15, I could shout, scream or whatever but I say ‘Okay, I didn’t want to take the risk enough to be in the Q2, and that’s where I am, P15’, but today we are world champion so, good!”
Reflecting on his journey to becoming a world champion rider, Quartararo was quick to admit that he missed many of the usual steps on his somewhat fast tracked evolution into the top class.
“When I won the two Spanish championships of course the first step was to win a Moto3 World Championship but I didn’t even make a victory. Then I moved to Moto2 and was trying to take confidence back. First year was not achieved, the second year, yes, we won two races - okay one was taken off but I know that I won that race - but I didn’t expect to move up to MotoGP so the Moto2 World Championship was not possible also to get, and really far!” he admitted honestly.
“So the only way to be world champion was in MotoGP, and we achieve it. Something that I never expect when I made the first test in Valencia in 2018. I say, ‘what the hell I’m doing on that bike?’ I couldn’t ride. So much power - right now, I asked for much more! The step was slow, but good. First day we finished three seconds [away], then two seconds, last day of Jerez we finish at 0.8. Sepang was tough then in Qatar, we make a massive step that we finish in P2 in the test and from that moment I knew that I was well. 2019 was good and of course was a big dream to be world champion and we achieve it today. So, I don’t know what to say. I will realise a little bit more tonight and tomorrow and I will have no voice at all!”
