The great protagonist of this Sunday in Misano was Fabio Quartararo, who was proclaimed MotoGP world champion for the first time. The Yamaha rider benefited from the fall of Pecco Bagnaia when he was leading the race, which mathematically handed the title to the Frenchman.
The abandonment of the Ducati rider four laps from the end of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix served Marc Márquez with victory, who had remained at his wheel for practically the entire race.
The other beneficiary of that fall was Pol Espargaró. The Catalan was already third and on his way to his first podium since joining Honda this year. The abandonment of Bagnaia allowed it to climb to second position and with it the brand with the golden wing achieved its first double since 2018 (Japan) and the first for the Repsol team since 2017 (Aragon).
“It has taken longer than I would like. In the moment after, you don’t think much about what it has cost. Surely at home I remember the nostalgia and how we have had it in the bad times this year,” he commented.
Polyccio, who has taken 16 races to get his first podium with Repsol Honda, highlighted how bad HRC has had in the last two years.
“It is an important podium for my career, also for the team after what Honda has suffered with COVID in Japan against the European manufacturers. Being here feels very, very good. More races to come. I went fast, it went well, we have to keep working and try to repeat it on any circuit. This has only begun. I hope that next year this will be more common,” he said.
Asked about the new MotoGP world champion, Fabio Quartararo, Pol congratulated the Frenchman and hopes that, at least, Márquez can stand up to him in 2022.
“Fabio is an innate talent. A young talent that you can see enjoying it. It’s a joy. Seeing things turn out that way is very nice. I hope that next year it will be more even and we can discuss it with Marc,” he concluded.
(Click on this link or on the image to see the photos of the 2021 Emilia Romagna GP MotoGP race)
