Portugal’s Turning Point First Half Of Quartararo's Season: Almost Always On The Podium Except At Le Mans

Fabio Quartararo (Instagram @fabioquartararo20)

JAKARTA - Yamaha team rider Fabio Quartararo admits that the start of the MotoGP season was quite steep before the European tour which started in Portugal was the turning point for his brilliant performance towards the mid-season break.

Portugal, which hosted the fifth series, saw the Frenchman climb the top podium for the first time this season followed by a further four podium finishes in the last five races, including two straight wins in Catalunya and Germany.

"The first half of the season has been amazing. (Although) Qatar, Argentina and Austin are quite strong," Quartararo said in a press conference session ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix in Assen, as quoted by Antara from the official MotoGP website, Friday.

"I think as I've said before, I'm a little bit complaining about the 'top speed' and I'm not focused on my riding style."

In the opening four races, Quartararo found only one podium, namely when finishing P2 in Mandalika, in addition to P9 results in Qatar, P8 in Argentina, and P7 in the US.

"Then when we arrive in Europe, I can really focus on my riding style and get good results," said the driver who holds top control with 172 points, 34 ahead of nearest rival Aleix Espargaro.

"From Portugal until now, we have almost always been on the podium, except at Le Mans, where we finished fourth. But I think we had a great first 10 races, the same points as last year at the same stage."

Victory in Portugal was the most exciting moment for Quartararo this season as it came after he endured a number of disappointing results at the start of the season.

"I think Portugal is one of the best. Then, of course, at the Sachsenring, I never thought I could win at a circuit like that. Then, of course, the other wins, the podium, the race at Mugello where I was overwhelmed all weekend. .. They are pretty good races in Europe."

This weekend's Dutch Grand Prix offers Quartararo a chance to grab a hat-trick of three wins in a row following successes in Catalunya and Germany.

Quartararo is considered to have a sweet note in "Catedral of Speed". In his debut in Moto3 (2015) he finished P2 and then repeated his best result in the Moto2 class in 2018 before finishing P3 in the MotoGP class in 2019.

Quartararo also presented Yamaha's most recent win at Assen in 2021 after the race in the Netherlands was sidelined for a year due to the pandemic.