Breaking news
MotoGP Qatar GP
Zarco tips Quartararo to emulate star MotoGP debut
Johann Zarco believes rookie Fabio Quartararo can emulate his own MotoGP debut star showing from two years ago this weekend in Qatar.
Valentin Khorounzhiy
Published: Mar 8, 2019, 2:10 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Zarco led six laps on a Tech 3-run satellite Yamaha in his first premier-class race in Qatar in 2017, before ultimately crashing out.
Fellow Frenchman Quartararo, who is contesting his first MotoGP campaign with Yamaha's new satellite outfit Petronas SRT, shone in this year's pre-season testing in Qatar, finishing second behind Maverick Vinales.
“It looks like the Yamaha is anyway working very well here, and Fabio proved it last week,” said Zarco, who is now a factory KTM rider.
“He can be the surprise like I did for Qatar race.”
Although he was once regarded as a prodigious talent, Quartararo moves up to the premier-class with only a single race win in four years across Moto3 and Moto2.
Yamaha works rider Valentino Rossi, who has joked the 19-year-old Frenchman “can be my son”, said Quartararo has had a “strange career”.
“He's very very young, [born in 19]99 so it means two years younger than my brother [Moto2 rider Luca Marini] and already in MotoGP,” 40-year-old Rossi said.
“He have a strange career, he arrive like a genius but after for some reason he lose a little bit the way.
“I think this year with this team and this bike he have a very important chance to demonstrate his speed, will be very interesting.”
Despite tipping Quartararo to impress in Qatar, Zarco reckoned Pramac Ducati rider Pecco Bagnaia – the reigning Moto2 champion – would be the standout rookie in 2019.
“But for the season I really think Bagnaia will be the most constant one, the one that, once he understood things, then he will be pretty pretty strong,” Zarco said.
Suzuki newcomer Joan Mir and Tech 3 KTM rider Miguel Oliveira make up the rookie class of 2019 alongside Bagnaia and Quartararo.
All four have impressed at certain points in pre-season testing, and Mir believes the race to finish as the top rookie in this year's riders' standings will be extra meaningful.
“The test [timing screen] is not real, always is not real, but you can see a little bit more through the paper, all the pace of the people, the fast bikes, everything - and the truth is that all the rookies, we are really close, and also really close to the top guys,” Mir said.
“This is really important, really nice, it looks like the level of the rookies is really high.
“I think that this year [the title of] rookie of the year will have a lot of value.”
Quartararo was the top rookie in the opening practice session of the season, finishing 11th, just 0.461s off the pace.
Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont and Khodr Rawi
12
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Qatar MotoGP: Rossi leads Lorenzo in first practice
Next article Qatar MotoGP: Marquez tops FP2, Lorenzo and Rossi facing Q1
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Valentin Khorounzhiy
WTCR's April opener cancelled due to coronavirus
WTCR
WTCR
Hungaroring
WTCR's April opener cancelled due to coronavirus
Australian GP issues update on nine F1 paddock coronavirus tests
Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Australian GP issues update on nine F1 paddock coronavirus tests
Motorsport Games unveils 15 disciplines for 2020
General
General
Motorsport Games unveils 15 disciplines for 2020
More from
Francesco Bagnaia
Ducati rubbishes claim 2026 MotoGP bike built specifically for Marc Marquez
MotoGP
MotoGP
Indonesian GP
Ducati rubbishes claim 2026 MotoGP bike built specifically for Marc Marquez
Why Francesco Bagnaia is ruling out repeat of Japan MotoGP win
MotoGP
MotoGP
Japanese GP
Why Francesco Bagnaia is ruling out repeat of Japan MotoGP win
Francesco Bagnaia slams viral social media video about Ducati accusations
MotoGP
MotoGP
San Marino GP
Francesco Bagnaia slams viral social media video about Ducati accusations
Latest news
F1 United States GP live commentary and updates - Q1 is go
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
37 min
F1 United States GP live commentary and updates - Q1 is go
Colton Herta savours "super special" Austin homecoming as 2027 uncertainty remains
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
Colton Herta savours "super special" Austin homecoming as 2027 uncertainty remains
NASCAR Cup Talladega starting lineup: Chase Briscoe beats Austin Hill for pole
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Talladega II
2 h
NASCAR Cup Talladega starting lineup: Chase Briscoe beats Austin Hill for pole
F1 United States GP: Lewis Hamilton pips Max Verstappen in FP3
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
2 h
F1 United States GP: Lewis Hamilton pips Max Verstappen in FP3
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe