Reigning MotoGP world champion Fabio Quartararo says he’s going into the 2022 season with less pressure, not more, despite having a new crown to defend, with the successes of 2021 meaning that he’s already achieved a life’s ambition – and with a whole new litany of threats to face in the upcoming year.
Speaking to media at the Sepang International Circuit ahead of tomorrow’s opening day of 2022 testing, the 22-year-old was adamant that despite theoretically having a target on his back, he’s trying hard to hold onto the same mindset as 12 months ago in the hope that it’ll still work out the same in the end.
“I’m challenging exactly the same as last year,” he explained, “as if I was not the champion. My goal at the moment is exactly as it was last year. I’m not saying I want to be world champion, although of course that is the long-term goal.
“But for me the shorter[-term] goal is to make podiums and victories. Without this you can’t be champion, so basically it’s the first step before looking at being the world champion.
“I don’t feel like I’m defending, because for example [Joan] Mir did an amazing season in 2020 but 2021 was a brand new year – and 2022 is new again, too. I don’t know why the champion must have more pressure, because now I feel like I have less pressure. I achieved my dreams, and most riders will never achieve that dream of being MotoGP champion.”
That’s reflected in an almost unaltered livery unveiled by the Monster Energy Yamaha team. With Quartararo’s bike still bearing his familiar #20 rather than opting to run the champion’s plate and barely acknowledging his 2021 achievements anywhere on the bike, he’s adamant that it’s all a part of ensuring he has the correct attitude for the year ahead.
“There are no number ones, nothing,” he insisted. “It’s exactly the same as last year.
“I don’t want anything, just a small star on the back of my helmet. I don’t like to put it everywhere. Last year was last year, and it was great – a big memory.
“There’s one gold star, like in football, because it’s a world title and we don’t need to forget that, but it’s a brand new championship.
“We all have zero points right now, and last year’s championship isn’t on my mind. It’s just a really great memory.”
However, while Quartararo might be out to put 2021 behind him and focus on 2022, there’s one person in the box who says he might take some positives from starting the year alongside the reigning world champion: his team-mate Franco Morbidelli.
Outdoing Quartararo by a significant margin in 2020, when he finished runner-up to Joan Mir even as his then-Petronas Yamaha team-mate Quartararo matched him on race wins, Morbidelli is keen to exploit the fact that he’s got a ready-made challenge for the season.
“Having the world champion on your side doesn’t add more pressure,” explained the Italian, who starts his first full season as a factory rider on Saturday. “It just gives motivation to match his speed and his performance.”
