Quartararo Was Afraid Of Being Hated By Italian Fans When He Replaced Valentino Rossi At The Monster Energy Yamaha Team

Fabio Quartararo and Valentino Rossi (Instagram @fabioquartararo20)

JAKARTA - Anxiety had hit the racer, Fabio Quartararo, when he was appointed to replace Valentino Rossi for the Monster Energy Yamaha manufacturer. That's because Quartararo is afraid of being antagonized by Italian fans.

"We have taken the first step, now my target is to look like Vale. But when I signed with Yamaha, I was a bit worried about the opinion of the Italian fans, because I took his place, while he took my place at Petronas", Quartararo was quoted as saying by VOI from Crash on Wednesday, December 1.

Although he felt anxious, finally the 2021 MotoGP world champion felt relieved. The reason is, Paolo Giallo as Rossi fans accept him with open arms.

"However, I am happy to finally be able to share my sympathy with them and be accepted", said Quartararo.

El Diablo started his inaugural season in MotoGP in 2019 by defending Petronas Yamaha SRT. But in early 2020 he actually signed a contract with the Yamaha factory team for the 2021 season.

Meanwhile, Rossi actually did the opposite. The Doctor chose to leave Yamaha and moved closer to the satellite team, Petronas Yamaha SRT, filling the place left by Quartararo.

Apart from the exchange of places between Quartararo and Rossi, Yamaha actually has concerns ahead of the 2022 season. Since the Algarve Series ago, the M1 has experienced a decline in performance, far behind Ducati.

Even in Valencia, where they usually struggle to be competitive, Ducati swept the podium. For Quartararo, this was a sign of danger. He also encouraged Yamaha engineers and technicians to respond quickly to problems.

“We have a lot of work to do. I pressed them. On a track like Valencia, the podium is even red. Ducati is progressing, but they also have strong riders", said Quartararo.

"I wish we had more engine power. Hopefully, we can perform well next year."