Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo kept hopes of retaining his MotoGP title alive, just, with a fightback from 12th to the Malaysian GP podium. A crash in Saturday’s FP3 left the current champion on the deck and in need of medical intervention after breaking a finger on his left hand.
The Frenchman later struggling in qualifying as he prepared to line the Monster Energy M1 up in 12th on Sunday’s grid. “Not a big crash but a stupid crash,” Quartararo admitted. “I mean, normal crash but just break my finger and of course was really painful.
Adrenaline is a great painkiller and also fighting for that kind of position. I think my finger was something else but as soon as it stopped, right now I feel the hurt in the finger!
Doesn’t matter because we give everything and that’s what we wanted today.” A storming start left Quartararo fifth by the close of lap one with Marc Marquez blocking his path until the Spaniard was dispatched four laps later.