The new MotoGP world champion led the first two free practices on Friday ahead of Pecco Bagnaia, but the Ducati snatched the best time in FP3 this Saturday by one thousandth. The Italian also led the fourth test, where Fabio Quartararo did not go beyond fifth place.
In the classification a close duel between the first two of the championship was presumed, but the Frenchman did not appear. Bagnaia achieved his fifth consecutive pole – sixth of 2021 – ahead of his teammate Jack Miller, while Quartararo did not go beyond seventh place.
The Frenchman was seen out of place and the stewards canceled a fast lap for not respecting the yellow flags, forcing him to come back on Sunday.
“I had a very good feeling all weekend. In the morning I had an incredible pace. In the afternoon I changed the set-up a bit. I thought it would be a little better, but it was not very good and it cost me. In qualifying the bike was shaking a lot. It was strange to understand. I had a lot of problems: one sector was good, the other was bad, it wasn’t consistent,” Quartararo summed up.
Starting from the third row, El Diablo does not rule out repeating the victory that he already achieved here last April, although he needs to make changes to the bike and sees the key to gaining positions at the start so that Bagnaia does not escape.
“In FP4 I didn’t feel very good either, the feeling in qualifying was very strange, so we have to change something. We tried the hard tire because in April it was the one that made a bit of a difference. It didn’t work. The medium tire seems a lot better. We will test it in the morning and I think it will be a better choice.”
“We have a good pace, but I think [Joan] Mir will be strong tomorrow too. Honestly, we have to find the feeling from this morning to fight for the win. The race is very long here and I think our pace is quite strong, so If we recover the sensations of this morning and I make a good start, we can be strong for the race”, he clinched.
The photos of Fabio Quartararo at the Algarve GP
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Photo de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
