Francesco Bagnaia’s accident at the Emilia Romagna MotoGP was a blessing for Fabio Quartararo. Finishing in fourth position, Quartararo locked the 2021 MotoGP world title. The Emilia Romagna GP, which is the 16th series of the 2021 MotoGP calendar, is the last home race of the living legend, Valentino Rossi. The owner of seven MotoGP world titles has decided to retire at the end of this season. Along with Valentino Rossi’s farewell moment in his homeland, Fabio Quartararo successfully locked the 2021 MotoGP world title.
Quartararo’s success in locking the MotoGP world title this season was no less dramatic. The French rider came to the Emilia Romagna MotoGP with a 52 point advantage over the second ranked racer, Francesco Bagnaia. Bagnaia, who has the ambition to tackle Quartararo, has won the MotoGP pole position for Emilia Romagna. Meanwhile, Quartararo had to start the race from 15th position.
Everything seemed to be going well for Francesco Bagnaia. He started the race very well and continued to lead until the 22nd lap. Meanwhile, Fabio Quartararo had to struggle to overtake the racers in front of him to penetrate the top 10 positions. Disaster then hit Bagnaia on the 23rd lap ahead of 24. Under the pressure exerted by Marc Marquez, the Ducati rider fell!
When his closest competitor crashed, Quartararo was racing for the podium. On the last lap, the Monster Energy Yamaha rider fought fiercely with Enea Bastianini to fight for the third podium. Bastianini’s impressive action overtaking Quartararo at the last corner made the Avintia Esponsorama Racing rider finish third in the Emilia Romagna MotoGP.
Fabio Quartararo failed to reach the podium at the Emilia Romagna GP. However, finishing fourth was enough for El Diablo to lock up the 2021 MotoGP world title. Quartararo became the first French rider to become a MotoGP world champion.
Quartararo’s journey to the 2021 MotoGP world title
Fabio Quartararo had to swallow a bitter pill last season. Performing very well in the first two races of MotoGP 2020, the 22-year-old racer actually sluggish at the end of the season. Quartararo had to settle for ending MotoGP 2020 in 8th place. Meanwhile, the title of world champion belongs to Suzuki rider, Joan Mir.
Entering the 2021 season, Fabio Quartararo comes with a new spirit. Joining the Yamaha factory team made El Diablo dare to set a world champion target. “My target this year is of course to fight for the title (world champion),” said Quartararo after officially becoming a Monster Energy Yamaha rider, early last February. “However, it will not be easy, considering the performance level of the rivals is also very high,” added the Nice-born rider. “I know everyone has worked very hard, but I’m also here to fight. I know what I’m capable of and I will give everything,” said Quartararo.
Fabio Quartararo started the 2021 MotoGP with less than optimal results in the opening series of the Qatar GP. He could only finish in fifth position. El Diablo then rose in the next series which was held again in Losail, Qatar. He picked two consecutive wins at the Doha and Portugal GPs.
Consistency is one of the problems Fabio Quartararo has to deal with this season. He can appear very fast in one series, but seems to lose his spurs in the next series. Throughout the 2021 MotoGP to the 16th series at Misano, Quartararo has finished four times outside the top five. He even had slumped in 13th position at the Spanish GP.
Luckily, in the midst of Francesco Bagnaia’s threat, Quartararo was able to stabilize in the last two series before Emilia Romagna’s MotoGP. Bagnaia and Quartararo’s rivalry in the race for the 2021 MotoGP world title ended dramatically in Misano. Bagnaia’s bad luck at the Emilia Romagna MotoGP became a blessing in itself for Quartararo.
Francesco Bagnaia’s failure to get points made Fabio Quartararo able to lock the 2021 MotoGP world title. Collecting 267 points with two series remaining, the acquisition of Quartararo’s points in the 2021 MotoGP standings can no longer be pursued by Bagnaia.
