From 15th on the grid to 4th in the race, French rider, Fabio Quartararo, takes home his first ever MotoGP Championship crown.
After a dramatic decider at the Gran Premio Nolan del Made in Italy e dell’Emilia Romagna, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider sliced from 15th on the grid to fourth. Sole rival for the crown, Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), crashed out from the lead. Quartararo is the first French premier class World Champion in history and is the first Yamaha rider to win the crown since 2015
From pole position, Bagnaia got a decent getaway but it was teammate Jack Miller who got the best launch from the front row. Pecco grabbed the holeshot though as Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) carved his way into P2 from the second row. Miller grabbed P2 from Oliveira at Turn 4 though, with Marc Marquez then getting the better of Oliveira down into Turn 8. Quartararo didn’t make a rapid start, but more importantly, he stayed trouble-free.
Unfortunately for Bagnaia, he crashed his Ducati on Lap 23 (or so), which left Marc Marquez in first position, Pol Espargaro in 2nd and Quartararo in 3rd, just enough to secure the World Championship title in a sensational fashion all the way from the 15th on the grid.
“I still can’t believe it! I can’t even talk… It feels amazing. Maybe later I can talk a bit more. Right now, I’m living the dream! It feels good to also have my family with me, and we will enjoy this a lot tonight and until the end of the season,” said the 22-year-old Frenchman.
Quartararo’s impressive 2021 results earned Yamaha its 755th premier class podium finish during Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.’s 60th anniversary year of World Championship Road Racing participation, adding to the Japanese constructor’s extensive list of MotoGP milestones.
Quartararo brought Yamaha’s premier class rider titles tally to 18 so far, of which three were secured by Lorenzo (2010, 2012, and 2015), four by Valentino Rossi (2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009) in the MotoGP class, three by Wayne Rainey (1990, 1991, 1992), three by Eddie Lawson (1984, 1986, 1988), three by Kenny Roberts (1978, 1979, 1980), and one by Giacomo Agostini (1975) in the 500cc class.
Quartararo’s achievements combined with his teammates’ efforts have also helped keep both the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team and Yamaha in contention in this year’s Team and Constructor Championships with two rounds remaining. Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli (his former teammate in 2019 and 2020 with PETRONAS Yamaha SRT) reunited at the 2021 San Marino GP in the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP garage and are keen to fight down to the wire for the Team and Constructor Titles until the last MotoGP round in Valencia.
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