Yamaha hadn’t won the drivers’ title since 2015 . However, nobody has forgotten the rarefied atmosphere that reigned then, when Jorge Lorenzo was proclaimed champion in the last Grand Prix in Valencia . Valentino Rossi, who arrived with a seven-point lead in the standings, saw the crown slip away by five in a highly controversial season finale.
Suspended for kicking Marc Márquez at the previous Grand Prix in Malaysia , the #46 received three penalty points and was penalized to start last at Cheste. Despite making a remarkable comeback to fourth place in that race, he was unable to prevent his teammate and rival from taking the title.
Rossi requested the precautionary suspension of his sanction before the Court of Arbitration for Sport . His request was rejected, and although the matter would be studied by the CAS, the Italian pilot ended up withdrawing his appeal, considering that the damage had already been done. Since then he has often mentioned that the 2015 title was unfairly “stolen” from him.
Last Sunday, in Misano, the atmosphere was radically different, since Fabio Quartararo got the necessary points to sentence the championship.
“He really deserves to be champion, we are very grateful to him for that and to bring us back to the top after six years,” Lin Jarvis told the official MotoGP website. “The last time was in the famous year 2015, when we really got 1-2 [in the championship] with Lorenzo and Rossi. But honestly, even if we got the double, that victory was complicated and we never really got to enjoy it and savor it, for all the controversy that there was at the time. But today it is very clear: Fabio Quartararo deserved to win the title and we are very happy”.
“This time it tastes really nice. [The title] has taken six years. A lot of effort and energy has gone into getting here, so it’s very nice. Often when a dish is cooked slowly and for a long time, tastes better,” said the Yamaha MotoGP CEO, clearly relieved to add another chapter to the Iwata-based manufacturer’s record books.
The riders’ title is Yamaha’s eighth since MotoGP’s inception in 2002, after Rossi’s four and Lorenzo’s three. Neither the Constructors nor the Teams classification has yet been decided, where the battle continues with Ducati .
Yamaha’s last team title was in 2016, while the Constructors’ title hasn’t been won since 2015, when it completed the treble.
(Before reading on, click on this link or scroll through the photos to see Fabio Quartararo’s celebration)
