MotoGP Argentina: ‘Nightmare race’ for Quartararo, ‘grip was not the same’

Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo completed the ArgentinaGP eighth after a rollercoaster weekend at Termas de Rio Hondo Circuit.

It was a far cry from his Mandalika podium last time out for the Monster Energy man, especially after his strong pace in warm up and second row start. Once again, grip was the issue for the YZR-M1, that and the South American layout’s one kilometre straight.

“To be honest my start was not the best but then before the straight I was P7 so was not that bad. Then on the straight I get overtake and basically the first three laps were basically a nightmare because I have no grip. Turn six is a corner basically try to have as much gas as possible, try to don’t overheat too much the tyre but basically you have every guy in front of you. This kind of corner they pull away, is pure grip and the first three laps was a disaster, I lose all the positions. After three/four laps the grip was a bit better but then you know, overtake and everything and I felt straight away that the grip was not the same. This is frustrating.

“You make all the practice, you feel great and then arrive the race and it’s totally different. So that’s why it’s really frustrating but at the end when they put more Michelin rubber on the track, I could go faster but then it’s too late and we are too far already.

“This track is not the best for Yamaha because the straight is quite massive,” Quartararo continued on his weekend woes. “I did my best and I didn’t give up but to make better than today was difficult. I felt I lose a lot of positions but to be honest I didn’t feel I make too many mistakes.

“When the other ones just have better grip than you, they can prepare much better the overtake, so I think that’s why also I lose all these