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.

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
Fabio Quartararo, Petronas Yamaha SRT

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Fabio Quartararo, Petronas Yamaha SRT

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Fabio Quartararo, Petronas Yamaha SRT

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Francesco Bagnaia, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Francesco Bagnaia, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Francesco Bagnaia, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Joan Mir, Team Suzuki MotoGP

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Joan Mir, Team Suzuki MotoGP

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Joan Mir, Team Suzuki MotoGP

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Miguel Miguel Oliveira, Red Bull KTM Tech 3

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Miguel Miguel Oliveira, Red Bull KTM Tech 3

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Miguel Oliveira, Red Bull KTM Tech 3

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Previous article
Qatar MotoGP: Rossi leads Lorenzo in first practice
Next article
Qatar MotoGP: Marquez tops FP2, Lorenzo and Rossi facing Q1

About this article
Series | MotoGP |
Event | Qatar GP |
Drivers | Francesco Bagnaia , Johann Zarco , Joan Mir , Valentino Rossi , Fabio Quartararo |
Author | Valentin Khorounzhiy |
Zarco tips Quartararo to emulate star MotoGP debut
Trending
Repsol Honda Team - Pol Espargaró Q&A
Repsol Honda Team - Marc Marquez Q&A
Why Alex Marquez doesn't care about 'shutting up' MotoGP critics
Alex Marquez's form was one of MotoGP 2020's biggest surprises and, by firmly stepping out of his six-time world champion brother Marc's shadow, he proved a few people wrong. Not that he cares about this, as he tells Lewis Duncan
How Yamaha's new MotoGP era can unchain Vinales
After the electrifying start to his Yamaha MotoGP career in 2017, Maverick Vinales has struggled for consistency. Many anticipate that the arrival of Fabio Quartararo could spell disaster, but the departure of Valentino Rossi could be just the impetus he needs.
Does KTM really need 'super engine' for MotoGP title challenge?
Fears from rival MotoGP manufacturers that KTM would build a 'super engine' for 2021 have ultimately come to nothing with the revealation that the RC16 hasn't been radically changed over the winter. But does it really need that to win the title?
How Ducati's latest Aussie union can return it to MotoGP glory
Australians on Ducatis is an iconic partnership, the marque's last one yielding its sole MotoGP crown to date. But its latest Aussie union with the often underestimated Jack Miller can end this drought.
The "balls out" battle between MotoGP's true greats
Senna vs Prost is regularly cited as motorsport's greatest rivalry. But it can easily be argued Rainey vs Schwantz can stake that claim. That rivalry was in full swing during the 1991 500cc season, remembered fondly by both stars 30 years on...
The "warrior" MotoGP rookie KTM was right to back
The 2020 MotoGP campaign featured a standout pair of rookies, but one flew under the radar as he adjusted to a shock step-up armed with very little racing experience. However as his veteran team boss explains, the faith shown in him was not misplaced
Why Suzuki's Brivio replacement must come from within
With its charismatic leader Davide Brivio leaving for Formula 1, the Suzuki MotoGP squad he turned into a world championship-winning force in 2020 has a major recruitment headache that it needs to resolve carefully.
Why Alpine's latest signing could be its best hope of F1 glory
The return of Fernando Alonso to the renamed Alpine team is a sure sign of the team's ambition. But its latest appointment from MotoGP could be an even bigger coup as it seeks to end a barren run stretching back to Alonso's 2006 world title