Quartararo: I feel a bit stupid, I did it to myself!

The reigning world champion was flicked from his Yamaha in the early stages of FP1, when the rear slid-out on a wet patch at the final corner - and in clear discomfort as he tried to walk back to the team garage.

“It was a tough five minutes after the crash, I couldn’t breathe at one moment!” he smiled. “Everything is okay now. I can have children normally!”

While replays appeared to show the back wheel of Quartararo’s bouncing bike hitting the Frenchman in the groin, Quartararo later admitted he had not been hurt in the actual fall, but when leaping back onto the bike!

“I did it to myself! It was not even the bike. When I jumped on the bike, we’d put something new on top of the fuel tank, and I jumped on it,” he said.

• Spanish MotoGP, Jerez - Free Practice (2) Results
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• Spanish MotoGP, Jerez - Free Practice (1) Results

“So I feel a little bit stupid! Because I crashed and had nothing, but then when I got the bike and jumped on… Maybe it would be better to lie and say that it was the tyre [that did it]! But I have to say I was stupid!”

Quartararo: Wet patches ‘quite dangerous’ at MotoGP Jerez

While his own downfall came at the final corner, Quartararo was more concerned about another damp patch seeping through the track at the much faster Turn 8.

“Even in FP2 there were some wet patches in Turn 8,” he said. “It’s not a good place to have them so I hope if tomorrow is not dry [there] something will be done to dry it.

“Because to be honest it’s a place where it’s quite dangerous. The last corner is slow, but Turn 8 you can have a big crash from the front or rear.”

Despite the early drama, Quartararo, who took the title lead for the first time this season with victory in Portimao on Sunday, returned to finish fifth in FP1, then set the fastest lap of the day in FP2.

“I was quite surprised because normally every Friday from our side we go not so great and today we made a good step,” he said. “Tomorrow we will try to make the same lap time or even better while riding in a smoother way. Because I think the grip will be better.”

Tipped as also having the best race pace at this stage, Quartararo insisted he has “no idea” who looks strongest.

“I have not checked the pace yet, but I think the track is changing a lot from Friday to Saturday. So tomorrow after qualifying first of all you will see who is in the front three rows and who has the best pace," explained Quartararo, who looked set to claim his third Jerez win in last season's race before striking arm pump problems.

“But today it’s impossible to say who will be there. For sure what I see a little bit is Bagnaia, Mir, Aleix had strong pace. But I was pretty happy about the first day because usually I’m always feeling strange on the Friday.”

Suzuki Alex Rins, currently tied on points with Quartararo, was eighth fastest with Quartararo's team-mate Franco Morbidelli the next best Yamaha in 14th (+0.8s).