Quartararo gritting teeth and taking painkillers: “I’m pretty sore…”

• Dutch MotoGP, Assen - Friday Practice Results (2)

The Yamaha rider was sixth-fastest in Friday practice at the Dutch MotoGP at Assen, a day which Marco Bezzecchi topped.

But Quartararo revealed afterwards he took painkillers to help with the agony of a bizarre injury sustained a day earlier while running.

“This morning, no. This afternoon, yes,” he said about requiring medication. 

“For me, this afternoon was really important. We did well.”

Quartararo, who has endured a miserable season so far, was briefly topping the timesheet on a very encouraging Friday at Assen.

“I don’t know what to say. I’m happy with how practice went.

“But I’m pretty sore. I was shaking on the left side, on left corners.

“Hopefully tomorrow we can have a great day.”

He added: “We are struggling quite a lot.”

Yamaha duo Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli both used wings on backs of their seats.

The 2021 MotoGP champion explained: “This is a part from last year that we put on today, we wanted to try.

“Feedback? It’s the same bike as the last two races.

“It’s just myself trying to adapt to the track as well as possible.

“The first day is always good but then the others all make a big step.

“This is what we need. To improve the bike day by day.

“Hopefully we are not at the 100% limit already on Friday.”

Concerningly for Quartararo, however, was his need for medication to assist with the injury he arrived at Assen with.

He has a fractured toe and required an x-ray on his injured ankle after falling while running.

“I crashed running! I twisted my ankle, twisted my toe,” he previously said. 

“I had a full crash! I was running and I hit [tripped]…. it's dangerous running!”