Quartararo Reveals Reason For “Hard” Japanese GP Practice Crash
Categories: MotoGP
During Practice, Fabio Quartararo ends up in the gravel trap. What seemed like a rider’s mistake turned out to be a technical issue.
It was a double disappointment for Fabio Quartararo on Motegi’s MotoGP practice Friday as he not only did not secure a direct entry into Q2 by finishing 13th but also endured a harsh crash, falling on his right side.
“I have pain in my neck and my foot, but it could have been much worse,” commented the Yamaha star.
So, what caused the incident? Quartararo lost control of his M1 early on the approach to Turn 6, making contact with the curbs and crashing heavily.
Initially, it seemed that Quartararo’s crash was due to a mistake on his part, as he appeared to have pushed the limits on the slippery curbs.
However, during his media briefing on Friday evening in Motegi, the French rider clarified the situation: “I had a problem with the brake.
The front wheel didn’t turn properly. When it was in the air, it completely stopped, and when it touched the ground again in Turn 6, it locked up completely, and I slid off.”
Despite the severity of his crash, Quartararo refrained from making accusations, saying, “Unfortunately, these things can happen,” he said.
“It’s never great when you crash, especially in such a fast corner. But what’s really frustrating is that we didn’t make it into the top ten. I believe it was definitely possible.”
"Three more tenths are possible"
Quartararo soldiered on in the session with his spare bike, albeit in pain, but only managed to complete one fast lap, failing to improve his position.
“I think three-tenths more were possible,” remarked Quartararo, suggesting he could have been in contention for a top-ten finish.
This incident marked yet another disappointing setback for Quartararo. He had already stated in a press conference on Thursday before the Motegi race weekend that the outcome of his weekend largely hinges on Friday afternoon. Starting this season, direct entry into Q2 is determined on Fridays.
