Qualifying
Quali saw Fabio Quartararo, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP P1, Alex Rins Team Suzuki Ecstar P2 and the now ever-present Johann Zarco, Pramac Racing P3. Fabio had looked sublime during the free practices and the other riders must have had furrowed brows after this and his win in Qatar. Like we said in our last report, fabulous Fabio is back on his game, with his sports psychology and intense physical training over the winter behind him. Marc Marquez was back and in pain, but pulled off P6, somehow.
The Race
Johann Zarco was off like a Space X rocket from the start, with Alex Rins tucking in close behind, and a sensational P3 for Marquez, his first start on a MotoGP bike for nine months, his adrenaline level hitting new highs. Fabio was swamped and floundered in P6, whilst Rins and Mir the Suzuki boys hit P2 and P3 leaving Marquez P4 then P6 as Quartararo and Miller went P4 and P5.
Twenty laps to go and Alex Rins and Fabio Quartararo had squeezed past Zarco, who, despite the Ducati power had been holding them up, to be honest. At this point Miller went down, and out, and last year’s Portimao hero Miguel Olivera the Portuguese rider hitting the kitty litter, but he did recover.
Seventeen laps to go and Fabio Quartararo took the lead and asserted that position over Alex Rins, Joan Mir and Zarco. The Suzukis are agile, and can out corner the Ducatis despite the latter speed advantage, but what Fabio can do on the Yamaha right now, is something else, different league, and it is Fabio because at this stage Vinales was 11th.
Eleven laps to go and sadly we lost Valentino Rossi from the race, crashing out in an own fault low sider. Meanwhile, Rins was fighting back and posting the fastest lap as he chased down Quartararo lap after lap. Fabio however was metronomic and unfazed as the Suzuki rider was sweating it to keep up, Zarco was P3. Then it happened, Rins went down on his own, the chase had proved too much, and his bike not restarting, he was out. At six laps to go, Francesco Bagnaia slipped past Zarco, he had been lurking and now this was his time. The pace that Fabio was setting now took another victim as Zarco crashed out trying to get back to the two ahead, this left Joan Mir P3.
The Result
The scene was set and in the last few laps it was Fabio, Bagnaia and Mir and that is how it ended with P1 to Fabio Quartararo Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP, P2 Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo Team and P3 Joan Mir, Team Suzuki Ecstar.
Fabio was sublime, his super smooth riding style making it impossible for the others to get close. Last year at this time it was all about Fabio and then it went upside down later in the season. He has publicly admitted that he lost the plot, leading the Championship got to him and then he took stock over the winter and now he’s back, that is what makes champions. Talking of champions, Marc Marquez placed 7th just ahead of his brother Alex, he looked exhausted after the race, but he has two weeks to recover before Jerez, watch this space.
See you there.
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Author: Martin Northern
Founder of Bike Directory
