Marco Bezzecchi
Fabio Quartararo tasted glory in MotoGP in the 2021 season, as he clinched the title over Francesco Bagnaia as Marc Marquez struggled with injury.
The Frenchman had to deal with huge pressure going through the junior ranks. Quartararo ‘went to pieces’ when he was compared to Marquez as he continued to impress on his way to MotoGP.
Debuting in 2019, he spent two seasons with SRT before he was chosen to replace Valentino Rossi at the factory Yamaha team. It would turn out to be a masterstroke.
Winning five races and claiming 10 podiums, Quartararo beat Bagnaia to the title by 26 points, wrapping it up at Misano. It was Marquez who won the race that day, in what was the third win since his return from his devastating injury the year before.
Fabio Quartararo adamant that his 2021 MotoGP title was ‘well-deserved’ amid Marc Marquez’s injury
The Spaniard had dominated MotoGP in the 2010s with Honda before he crashed during the season opener at Jerez in 2020. Marquez fractured his humerus in his right arm, an injury that almost ended his career.
Marquez’s physio regrets not stopping him from returning at the following race, as it aggravated his injury. He missed the entirety of the 2020 season and made his comeback at Portimao in 2021.
The Ant of Cervera finished the season in seventh, 136 points behind champion Quartararo. Speaking to El Periodico, he was asked whether Marquez’s injury devalued his title – he would have almost certainly mounted a better challenge if he were fully fit.
Asked if his title was valued fairly, he replied: “Yes, I think a title is won and lost. That’s life; anyone can get injured tomorrow.
“And in the end, when I won the title, Marc won the race, on the same day. Of course, he wasn’t 100% recovered, but I think my championship was quite well-deserved.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Fabio Quartararo from net worth to career stats
Fabio Quartararo wants to be MotoGP champion again, and he has threatened to leave Yamaha to do it
In 2025, Marquez is back on top in MotoGP with Ducati, while Quartararo has been struggling to extract top performances with Yamaha. While he has been excellent on the M1, with five pole positions, the bike’s lack of pace has cost him.
The 26-year-old is determined to be a world champion again, and he is beginning to lose patience with his team. 2026 is Yamaha’s last chance to convince Quartararo that he can win with them – he has claimed victory in the premier class since 2022.
In fact, Quartararo may have already decided to leave Yamaha in 2027, having been unconvinced by the state of their V4 project. The Iwata outfit will introduce the bike next season, but it is currently far from being able to fight for a title.
Yamaha have until the Sepang test before Quartararo starts to consider his future. Ducati have expressed an interest in the Frenchman – the Japanese manufacturer will have to produce a race-winning machine to convince him to stay, as he will be one of the hottest talents on the MotoGP rider market.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
