Jerez - Title Race Heats Up With Pressure & Target on Fabio Quartararo’s Back. Whilst Jorge Lorenzo to be Inducted as MotoGP Legend
Author: Myanna Wedes
The first Spanish round of 2022 is about to commence, and the pressure is mounting on the shoulders of Fabio Quartararo as riders have singled him out as the rival to beat. The French rider was quiet to start and has since regained the confidence he showcased in 2021 to win the prestigious number one trophy. Whilst, Quartararo focuses on the race, there is also a test afterwards which he hopes “horsepower” will be brought to the track for his Yamaha machine to become more competitive and remain consistent. In addition to this, Quartararo did mention that he thinks the team has brought a new swingarm and a few electronics to test, though his main goal is the race on Sunday. The fans are very excited to see the riders in action, with their campervans already in place, noise and drinks flowing. The atmosphere in Spain this weekend will be electric! Make sure you keep a close eye on Quartararo because he is finding form, not talking up his chances and letting his racing do the talking on track. Going fast is in his DNA, Yamaha want to win again, and they also must do everything possible in their book of tricks to re-sign such a talented young rider.
Fabio Quartararo #20:
“The win in Portimão felt amazing. I really enjoyed the riding and, of course, the celebrating with the team afterwards. But now it’s time to be serious again. I’m tied for first place in the championship standings, so we are going to try our maximum again. I will never give up. In Portimão we were lucky in a way because it suits our bike quite well. Jerez is another one of those circuits that play to our strong points, so I will do my best. Last year, I could have won the race here easily if it wasn’t for my arm pump problem. I’m going to try again this year!”
Leading the title with Quartararo is Alex Rins who is all new to the experience of maintaining composure and having to secure both points finishes and a new contract. In addition to the race, Suzuki are bringing some new electronic items and suspension settings to test out. Rins appears more focused on a result for Sunday than testing. He wants to prove why he should be at the front and genuinely can win a title if he remains at the top. The target is clear, and the Spanish rider is certainly qualified to deal with the ups and downs that will unfold. We are very excited to see how Rins qualifies this weekend because last week was a disaster yet the race result, he achieved was outstanding. Suzuki are poor qualifiers and superb race distance riders. We look forward to when both items are in sync because they will shake things up pushing the other manufacturers to improve their development.
Alex Rins #42:
“I managed to turn my weekend around last time out in Portugal, which is something really important for me. I had a terrible qualifying day due to the rain and a lack of confidence, but I believed in my ability to produce a good race result, and I managed it. I’m close to the top of the Riders’ Championship now, so I need to keep my head down and bring another strong finish this weekend in Jerez.”
In terms of experience, Aleix Espargaro is overqualified to handle pressure. He has been battling the odds for years and is finally within contention. The family man is just really enjoying the racing and not buying into the conversations about a World Championship. He knows the odds and the fact that concessions have helped the Aprilia team. However, the Spanish rider is looking forward to those special privileges being removed and being seen as a genuine top rider and a bike that is worthy of being chased by the field. The level in 2022 is very high and one mistake can see you go from first to mid to last. Crashing during a race should not be an option because the more you do end up in the gravel, the more a rider wants to secure your seat. As you know it is contract silly season! In contrast, Aprilia has lots to try out for their testing schedule and A Espargaro does not think they will have enough time to get through all of the items on the list. They will be utilising Lorenzo Savadori on his Aprilia to gain as much data as possible in the race and during testing as his bike is very different to Espargaro’s and Maverick Vinales machines. The base of the bike is quite good and A Espargaro wants to continue refining it. Whilst the testing schedule is in his mind, A Espargaro is very much aware of staying fit and healthy whilst enjoying the job he has been employed to do. If you end up injured, the season could be one to forget.
Aleix Espargaro #41:
"Despite the situation in the standings which is new for me and for Aprilia, I am not feeling any pressure. To the contrary, knowing that I have a competitive bike gives me peace of mind. As for the championship, it shouldn’t be an obsession but an opportunity that we need to be skilful enough to seize. I have no doubt that we’ll be able to be fast in Jerez too, on a track where I have always felt good."
Down the other end of the pit lane is the Honda team whereby Marc Marquez is wanting more and more each week. The local Spanish fans will help push him forward which will be nice to see as he appreciates their support. The result for Marquez in Portimao was not good enough and he has reminded the media, fans and team personnel that 6th was not ideal. He felt slow and this is not the norm for the Spanish multi-World-Champion. Marquez will be working on the bike and himself which is interesting because the mindset needs to be clear, focused and controlled in order to push and find the limit. Normally, Marquez is more concerned about how many times he can find the limit. This has shifted due to the challenges that exist with the Honda machinery. The main area where the Honda is struggling is on a short circuit when you need to turn the bike in a short time period. Marquez does not have the confidence with this part of the bike and circuits where it demands a quick response. The fans will be asking, so how do you fix that? Well, the engineers, mechanics, Honda riders and team personnel will be working around the clock with the Japanese factory to find ways in order to allow Marquez to feel as though he is in sync with the bike completely and able to push without fear. This could come soon, or it could be later into the season. The testing for Marquez is from lights out first session as he will try new things, though not new items. The base setting needs to be discovered and if that does arise, Marquez will show us just based on his riding style. If there is no comfort, it will be pure frustration, and this will determine the result.
Marc Marquez #93:
“Of course I am happy to arrive in Jerez and see the Spanish fans. It’s a very special circuit to race at, not just because of the history but also because of the atmosphere on race day – after some difficult years I hope that all the fans can come and enjoy. For us it will be an important weekend to keep improving and getting closer to the front. Portimao was a complicated weekend for us so I hope that everything in Jerez will be more straightforward, and we can work well throughout the whole weekend to fight on Sunday.”
It is one of the most important weekends for Ducati Lenovo riders Jack Miller and Pecco Bagnaia. The rumours are that the red beasts want to keep Miller and he wants to show why he should be putting pen to paper for another season this weekend. Jerez is a circuit he likes and the history books kind when you think back to his first win on a factory Ducati and the red leather outfit. We will be monitoring Miller closely to see how his performance levels stack up against the other Ducati riders. On the other side of the Ducati garage, Bagnaia is hoping the poor feeling with the bike is leaving his mindset and will improve even though he was sore last week with that heavy hit to the shoulder. Staying within the top ten results of each session will be important for Bagnaia and no doubt he will need to push through the pain barrier because an injury like his does not feel better overnight.
Jack Miller #43:
"I'm happy to be back on track this weekend and to be able to put the Portimão crash behind me. Racing in Spain is always special because the Spanish fans are very passionate and make the atmosphere unique. Jerez is a track that I like and where I have great memories after winning last year, my first on a Ducati, which came after a crash in the Portuguese GP. It would be nice to come back and win again this year. I'll try to give my best to get the best possible result".
Francesco Bagnaia #63:
"After the crash in qualifying in Portugal, these days off were crucial to rest and recover my strength. Despite the pain and the fact that we couldn't ride much on slick tyres, we were fast in the race on Sunday, and we were able to achieve the objective we had set ourselves. This shows that we are working well and that race after race, my feeling with the Desmosedici GP continues to improve. Now we arrive at Jerez, where we finished on the podium last year, to finally be among the protagonists of the weekend.”
In amongst the rider predictions, Jorge Lorenzo will be inducted as a MotoGP legend and enjoy the lights, camera and action as he is recognised for his efforts in the sport. Lorenzo was ruthless on track and an incredible Champion. Some liked his personality whilst others were frustrated by his antics. Regardless of the fact, he was a serious competitor and some of the classic all time victories and battles he experienced with other riders, those who are still riding are incredible to watch back. We can all remember the duels he had with Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez, Andrea Dovizioso and many more. Congratulations to the Spartan on his honour. As the season progresses, it is becoming more difficult to predict who will win the title let alone win a race weekend. Jerez is a circuit so many riders love, so who do you think has the complete package to take the crown in hometown Spain?
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