For Yamaha and Fabio Quartararo, the Assen Grand Prix was a forgettable event. The Frenchman fell twice in the race and went home without any points. He was also subsequently punished.
“I made a stupid mistake in the third round. There was no need to perform such a maneuver so early in the race. I will learn from the mistakes », showed Yamaha factory driver Fabio Quartararo after the Dutch TT remorse. The Frenchman crashed in the race while attacking Aleix Espargaró at Turn 5.
“Pecco built up a big lead on the first lap. But on the following lap we got close to him again. In the lap before the crash, I saw that I could start an attack in the curve,” the MotoGP world champion explained his actions. “Unfortunately, I was then a little further away, I braked too hard. I thought it would work, but it went wrong.”
At first Quartararo drove on, but after a few laps he headed into the pits. Why did he then go back into the race? “I dont know. Basically, I was one lap behind the rest of the field,” the championship leader clarified. “The team sent me out again, maybe because it was going to rain. It wasn’t my decision.”
“Then I put the pressure on again. We’re still examining the bike, but I’m sure the traction control sensor was out of order,” Fabio said of his second fall exiting the corner. “I was able to catch the first slide, but when the next one came I didn’t have any Chance. I feel defeated because my shoulder hurts.”
«Of course you want to fight with your opponents. But I just made a mistake. Our strategy was: if I’m up front, give everything; when I’m behind someone not to make mistakes. I did it the other way around,” admitted the 23-year-old afterwards. “That was stupid. I’ll probably be angry for two days now, but then I think about the previous races, which were so excellent.”
The FIM MotoGP stewards slammed a post-race penalty at Quartararo for the Espargaró incident. Fabio has to complete a long lap penalty in the race at the next GP in Silverstone on the grounds that he ruined the race for the Aprilia driver.
MotoGP result, Assen (26 June):
1. Bagnaia, Ducati, 26 Rdn. in 40: 25.205 min
2. Bezzecchi, Ducati, + 0.444 sec
3. Viñales, Aprilia, + 1.209
4. Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, + 2,585
5. Brad Binder, KTM, + 2,721
6. Miller, Ducati, +3,045
7. Martin, Ducati, + 4,340
8. Mir, Suzuki, +8,185
9. Oliveira, KTM, + 8.325
10. Rins, Suzuki, +8,596
11. Bastianini, Ducati, + 9.783
12. Nakagami, Honda, +10,617
13. Zarco, Ducati, + 14.405
14. Di Giannantonio, Ducati, + 17.681
15. Alex Marquez, Honda, +25,866
16. Dovizioso, Yamaha, +29,711
17. Marini, Ducati, + 30,296
18. Bradl, Honda, +32,225
19. Gardner, KTM, + 34,947
20. Savadori, Aprilia, + 35,798
– Fernández, KTM, 8 laps down
– Quartararo, Yamaha, 15 laps back
– Darryn Binder, Yamaha, 18 laps back
– Morbidelli, Yamaha, 18 laps back
MotoGP Riders’ World Championship after 11 of 20 Grands Prix:
1. Quartararo 172 Punkte. 2. Aleix Espargaró 151. 3. Zarco 114. 4. Bagnaia 106. 5. Bastianini 105. 6. Brad Binder 93. 7. Miller 91. 8. Mir 77. 9. Rins 75. 10. Oliveira 71. 11. Martin 70. 12. Viñales 62. 13. Marc Márquez 60. 14. Bezzecchi 55. 15. Marini 52. 16. Nakagami 42. 17. Pol Espargaró 40. 18. Alex Márquez 27. 19. Morbidelli 25. 20. Di Giannantonio 18 21. Darryn Binder 10. 22. Dovizioso 10. 23. Gardner 9. 24. Raúl Fernández 5.
Constructors’ Championship:
1. Ducati 246 Punkte. 2. Yamaha 172. 3. Aprilia 155. 4. KTM 121. 5. Suzuki 101. 6. Honda 85.
Team World Cup:
1. Aprilia Racing 213 Punkte. 2. Monster Energy Yamaha 197. 3. Ducati Lenovo Team 197. 4. Prima Pramac Racing 184. 5. Red Bull KTM Factory 164. 6. Suzuki Ecstar 152. 7. Gresini Racing 123. 8. Mooney VR46 Racing 107. 9 Repsol Honda 100. 10. LCR Honda 69. 11. WithU Yamaha RNF 20. 12. Tech3 KTM Factory 14.