10 Mar, 2024
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins completed a challenging 2024 opening Race at the Grand Prix of Qatar in 11th and 16th place respectively.
Lusail (Qatar), 10th March 2024 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo had a strong start to the Grand Prix of Qatar Race. Expert tyre management and a late charge ultimately secured him 11th place across the finish line. Álex Rins also engaged in battles during the 21-lap Race at the Lusail International Circuit and rode closely behind his teammate for a substantial amount of time, until front tyre degradation at the end spoiled his finish. He ended the first GP of the season in 16th place.
Chaos at the start of the originally 22-lap Race caused a slight delay and saw the race length being reduced by one lap.
Quartararo stayed calm and focused at the 'second start' and got in a good launch from P16 on the grid. He was on the attack on the opening lap and had breached into the top 10 by lap 2. He temporarily lost a position to Maverick Viñales, but was quick to retake it as the Spaniard lost ground. By lap 6, however, Quartararo had the number-12 rider on his tail again. The Frenchman was riding defensively, making Viñales work for it, though Quartararo did have to concede eventually on lap 8. Unable to follow Viñales, El Diablo instead needed to put his attention to five fast approaching riders, one of them his teammate. With 7 laps remaining, Joan Mir took over 11th place from Quartararo. But the experienced Yamaha man bided his time, knowing that tyre preservation would be the decider in this match. With 2 laps to go, he made a final charge. He overtook Mir and set back-to-back personal best sectors to wrap up the first Race of the 2024 season in 11th place, 17.701s from the race leader.
Rins made a clever start to the MotoGP Race. Commencing from P20 and gradually moving up the order in the first third of the race distance whilst at the same time managing his tyres as much as possible. He soon found himself in 14th place as part of a group of six riders all fighting for 11th. With 11 laps to go, the number-42 rider put in an overtaking manoeuver on Johann Zarco and made it stick. On lap 15, Mir made a move on Quartararo, putting Rins directly behind his teammate. Not able to pass him, the Spaniard was challenged himself by charging riders. He came under attack from Zarco and Marco Bezzecchi with 4 laps remaining. The Yamaha rider lost two further places in the final two laps, unable to defend his position due to tyre degradation. Yet, he still pushed on and retaliated on Augusto Fernandez with one lap to go. Rins finished his maiden Race with Yamaha in 16th place, 24.093s from first.
Today's result earns Quartararo his first 5 points, putting him in 11th place in the overall standings. Rins is yet to score points. After Round 1, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP is in 8th place in the team championship with 5 points, and in the constructors championship Yamaha are in 4th position with 5 points.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team will be back in action in two weeks' time at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve for the Grande Prémio de Portugal.
