MotoGP Austria: Quartararo ready to stop playing safe

Monster Energy Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo arrives in Austria just 22 points clear in the MotoGP Championship fight.

With eight races left on the table in 2022, and both Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro and Ducati’s Pecco Bagnaia hot on his wheels - especially after the Italian’s recent run of form on the top step - Quartararo is under pressure for results at a track that has garnered him two podium visits in the premier class to date.

“I feel quite good,” Quartararo said from Spielberg ahead of round 13. “After Silverstone I was a bit disappointed, but I used that energy in a productive way. I‘ve been doing a lot of training, and I feel focused and ready for the weekend. With no penalties pending, this GP will feel more ’normal‘.

“Our only goal is to do the best job we possibly can here. We know Spielberg is not our strongest track, but I got third here in 2019 and 2021. If we keep the right attitude and work hard, we can get good results.

“The second race last year we finished in seventh but before the rain we were fighting quite hard for the podium and victory. So we have the speed, we know how critical it is during the race for us.

“For pace it’s not a bad track for us but to overtake is where we have more hard work but I wouldn’t say it’s a really bad track for us and I think with the chicane it will be a bit better.

“Of course I’m pushing Yamaha to bring something, but there is nothing more extra,” he continued on the M1’s progression. “As a rider I’m learning a lot, I think since the beginning of the season until now I’ve made a massive step and I think I can continue making steps between now and the end of the Championship.

“I feel like we are playing way too far from the rules and I think we are taking a little bit too