Jakarta – Defending champion Fabio Quartararo emphasized his composure and how the Yamaha struggles did not affect his mindset, maintaining that the championship fight remains open.
In the past three rounds, he scored only 8 points, with main rival Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati now just two points ahead after 17 races, leaving three more events to decide the title.
With a 40-point gap between the top five and a maximum of 75 points still up for grabs, the season finale in Australia promises a tight battle, as the points margin stands at 75 points.
Two weeks ago, Quartararo finished P17 in a wet race in Thailand, expressing disappointment over not speaking to the media afterward. At the pre-race press conference in Australia, he apologized to the media and explained the incident.
“I decided not to speak to the media back then, and I apologized to everyone in Thailand,” Quartararo said, referring to his inability to communicate after the Wuhan race, according to Antara.
In Thailand, Quartararo admitted that a mistake was made early on, using high tire pressure which affected his performance during the race.
Both Quartararo and his rivals acknowledged that this season’s pursuit of the title felt like a fresh start after Bagnaia claimed third place in Wuhan, placing them all on an even playing field.
“We need to consider the championship, but really, I want to focus on each race because it’s almost like the beginning of the title chase,” he said.
“Our perspective is similar to Pecco’s, but I’m not just cautious towards him. Of course, Alex, Jack, and Enea are there too… so we’re not far off,” he added.
The top three are under pressure, but Quartararo believes focusing on every race is beneficial. Reflecting on his experiences as a title contender in 2020 and eventual champion in 2021, he credited those years for keeping him grounded.
“Winning last year gave me confidence and more experience,” he stated. “Certainly, the past two seasons have helped me stay calm in these situations.”
Bagnaia has accumulated 36 points in the last three races, agreeing that the championship is starting anew:
“As Fabio said, it feels like the championship has just begun. We have five riders who can still win it,” Bagnaia remarked.
“Certainly, Fabio and I have more opportunities, but others are pushing hard. We know anything can happen this year. The potential is huge, and we must seize it,” he continued.
While Quartararo remains at the top, Bagnaia has narrowed the gap to just two points over his Yamaha rival. Alex Espargaro leads with 20 points, followed by Enea Bastianini (39) and Jack Miller (40) of Ducati.