Fabio Quartararo crashed during the MotoGP San Marino Grand Prix sprint while battling LCR Honda rider Diogo Moreira for 11th place. He remounted and finished 21st, while Jack Miller was the highest-placed Yamaha rider in 17th, just over three seconds ahead.

A risky fight for position

Quartararo described the contest with Moreira as “yo-yo” racing: Moreira was gaining ground on the straights, forcing the Yamaha rider to recover in the corners. Quartararo said he had to push harder through the preceding turns to create an overtaking opportunity.

He entered Turn 11 quickly and braked late in Turn 12 before closing in on Moreira. By Turn 14, Quartararo was committed to the inside line and realised too late that he could not remain behind the Honda. He said a lack of rear support under braking caused the rear of his Yamaha M1 to push the front tyre, resulting in a front-wheel lock-up and the crash.

Rins highlights the recovery pace

Alex Rins said Quartararo’s pace after remounting was impressive, estimating that his team-mate recovered roughly half a second to one second per lap. Rins also said Yamaha struggled with braking and traction during the sprint.

For the following grand prix, Rins expected Quartararo to be capable of a strong performance, without treating that as a guaranteed outcome. Yamaha’s stated objective was to score points, although Rins acknowledged that achieving it would be difficult.