Quartararo 21st after “nightmare race”, “it’s a new world”

The 2021 world champion, already frustrated to be slower in the dry Friday practice than a year ago, became lost at sea in the Saturday rain.

16th in a soaking final practice, Quartararo then ran off track in Qualifying 1, costing him valuable time.

The Frenchman’s woes continued at the start of the damp Sprint race when his front holeshot device remained locked down for half a lap “but it doesn’t make a big difference.”

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Remaining in last place for the opening laps, Quartararo’s only success was a pass on LCR Honda stand-in Iker Lecuona for 21st place.

Although he finished 30s from race winner Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati), Quartararo was only three seconds from team-mate Franco Morbidelli, the top Japanese machine in 15th place.

“In Argentina, I was last and came back to 7th, so I know how to ride in the rain. But to finish 30s behind in only 10 laps is something… I don’t understand it. I tried to work, to change so many things during the race but it was still the same,” Quartararo said.

“Basically we’re missing a lot of rear grip. Spinning on the straights. But also when you go in to the corners, we can’t lean the bike because the grip is not there… then you cannot make corner speed. It’s many problems.”

On the absence of any Japanese bikes in the top 14, he responded:

“Now there are more European bikes than Japanese bikes, but I mean, there is not one [Japanese bike] on top. We are everybody down.

“For sure we’re doing something wrong, but from my side, starting from so far tomorrow, we’ll have to do something totally different. I mean, we have nothing to lose.

“My priority right now is to try to make a step forward in the next races [but] the second part of the season is normally the part where we drop down [further]...”

Quizzed on the visual differences between the advanced aero of the European machines and the more ‘traditional’ M1, Quartararo said:

“Our bike looks like a bike. The others don’t. It’s a new world. From the outside, you can see something. It’d be interesting to see what’s really different inside. The Ducati, it’s many years they are using [the ‘salad box’]. So the evolution, our bike is still looking clear.”

Quartararo insisted he was not losing motivation, highlighting the similar situation for Marc Marquez and Honda.

“I would not say lose motivation but feeling frustrated,” he said.

“This race is a particular nightmare because of the qualifying but in general it’s difficult.

“Apart from my first year, in 2020, 2021, 2022 we were fighting for the world championship and now we are fighting for points.

“[But] Marc doesn’t lose his capacity after winning 8 titles… Mentally, it’s not easy because I’m feeling like I’m riding well but it’s not enough.”

Marquez finished in 18th place after treating the Sprint like an 'FP4' session.