The wet Grand Prix of Thailand Race was anybody’s game. Fabio Quartararo was in a promising fourth position when contact with another rider caused him to crash on lap 4. He rejoined the Race and through perseverance finished in 16th place. Álex Rins let the 26-lap contest come to him. He was riding in 13th place when, four laps before the end, he too had a crash which ended his challenge.
Quartararo had a great start from P6 and briefly held second place coming out of the first corner to then settle in fourth position. The Frenchman was challenged by Pedro Acosta early on, but the Spaniard went wide, allowing the number-20 rider back through. Brad Binder also briefly took on Quartararo, but the Yamaha man retaliated. However, a second attack launched by Binder on lap 4 put Quartararo right in front of a charging Franco Morbidelli. A collision between the two ended in El Diablo taking a fall. He was unhurt and able to rejoin the race in 21st place, but it effectively ended his chances. It became a lonely ride for Quartararo. Due to some fellow riders crashing out, he finished in 16th place, 50.021s from first.
Rins started from P17 on the grid and after the busy opening laps in the tricky wet conditions, he settled into 20th position. But the Buriram Race was a matter of survival. Multiple crashes by rivals saw the Spaniard move up the order to 14th place. Meanwhile the number-42 rider had started his charge, catching up with the rider group ahead of him. He overtook Joan Mir on lap 22, but he soon suffered a similar fate to many others. As his pace increased, he got caught out by the slippery track. He crashed four laps before the chequered flag and was unable to rejoin the contest.
Today’s results see Quartararo stay in 13th place in the overall standings with 93 points. Rins remains in 19th position with 23 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP keep their 9th place in the team championship with 116 points, and Yamaha hold on to 4th position in the constructor’s championship with 104 points.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will be back in action next week for the final round of this triple-header: the Grand Prix of Malaysia which be held at the Sepang International Circuit from 1-3 November.
Massimo Meregalli
Team Director
Today the conditions were very different from what we’ve had all weekend, so that made the Race extra tricky. But it’s the same for everyone. We had used Warm Up to get the bikes’ wet set-up ready, and then it was up to the riders to find the limit on this very damp track. Fabio did a great job at the start, and he was fighting inside the top 5 when Franco Morbidelli ran into him. It’s a big shame, because Fabio was on course for a good result. Fabio is the type to never let go until the Race is over, so he rejoined the Race and kept pushing, but unfortunately his efforts were not rewarded with any points today. Álex lost some ground on the opening lap, but his pace and position gradually improved. He was catching up and battling with the riders ahead of him when he took a fall. It’s a pity, but the main thing is that he is okay. Today’s results are a bit of an anticlimax for our team – this Race had more potential. Luckily, we can have a do-over already next week when we wrap up this second triple-header in Malaysia.
Fabio Quartararo
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider
The start was pretty good. It was a positive first couple of laps, and I was enjoying fighting with these guys at the front. Then I had the contact with Franco that took me out. I rejoined the race and – considering that I was riding without a footpeg and rear brake, the handlebars were bent, and I had no wings – the pace was still pretty good. I think it was good to do more laps in the rain. Let’s see what we can do in Malaysia!
Álex Rins
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider
Luckily, I’m okay, because I crashed in Turn 4, which is a long corner. Overall, it was the same as in dry conditions: it took a lot of laps to warm the rear tyre. When the tyre was ready after 5-6 laps, I was able to ride in the 1’40s. I had a group in front of me, and I was able to catch up, but I struggled to pass them. I had the opportunity to overtake Joan Mir. But I was already a bit on the limit with the front tyre because I had been trying different lines once I became part of the group, trying to overtake. I was feeling the front tyre was degrading, and my race ended early.
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