Quartararo warns "jungle" MotoGP sprints will see "a big accident"

The inaugural MotoGP sprint race took place on Saturday at the Portuguese Grand Prix, with Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia triumphing in the 12-lap dash.

Quartararo, who ended up without points in 10th, was involved in a first-lap clash with Joan Mir after the Honda rider made contact with the Yamaha at Turn 13 and crashed.

On the following lap, VR46 Ducati rider Luca Marini crashed into his factory counterpart Enea Bastianini trying an overtake at Turn 5, which has left the latter with a fracture to his collarbone.

Quartararo, who dropped to last after his Mir clash before recovering to 10th, says he doesn’t like the new sprint format because the aggression levels being seen in the shortened contest is dangerous.

When asked if he liked the sprint race, Quartararo said: “No, not at all.

“There will be a big accident soon. It’s a jungle. We are not in car, we are not in cars that in the end you can touch and it’s not a problem.

“It’s much safer. I was super far behind, so I tried to do my best.

“But luckily there was nothing, but there are 20 sprint races missing. So, let’s see.

“You can be aggressive. Today was fine. Only Marini and Bastianini [and Mir] crashed, but for sure in the future there will be much more crashes.”

Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Quartararo believes it would be safer to have two full-length races per weekend instead of the sprint, adding: “I’m not surprised [by the aggression levels]. It’s 12 laps. 12 laps, so put two 25-lap races.

“Physically it’s going to be tough, but I mean in 25 laps you have a little bit more time.

“Now [in the sprint], if you lose three positions you are [in trouble]. I was last because I got touched, I tried to be a little better, I learned. But I think for the safety it’s better to have two 25-lap races than one 12-lap.”

This concern about the sprint race follows on a day from Pol Espargaro’s horrible accident, which has left him with a back and jaw fracture.

Numerous riders took aim at the safety of the circuit and the fact that they had been calling for changes for several years.

Quartararo says riders “don’t have the power” to force through the changes they want and that the only solace of the safety situation in the sprint is the fact that “it’s the same for everyone”.

“We don’t have the power,” he began.

“Who decides? We do many things but it’s always after [something happens] that we change. So, it really makes no sense to talk.

“At the end it’s the same for everyone. I don’t know if that’s not okay. I don’t want to complain, but at the end it’s safety.

Enea Bastianini, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“It’s not a problem to touch on the last laps. With Alex [Marquez] we touched three, four times, but it’s okay, it’s racing.

“Then in the first laps, it was getting crazy and in the end it’s normal.

“But we are on bikes that sometimes react in a way that you can’t control them. That’s it. But, that’s what I think. I don’t want to get so involved in this.”

Commenting on his own race, Quartararo says a launch control issue when he clicked into second gear off the line compromised his start and ultimately his race.

“We had the problem with the launch control with the second gear,” he explained.

“It was a good start, but then I shifted to second and I lost so many positions.

“Then I got hit by Joan, I was last. The pace was not too bad, but I think we understood a few things during this race.

“But we need to improve our one-lap pace to be better in the position on the grid.”