Yamaha MotoGP rider Fabio Quartararo has revealed he was “a little bit scared” and “feeling really bad” during the Dutch TT at Assen, as he feared another problem with his right arm.
A bad case of compartment syndrome (arm pump) robbed Quartararo of a surefire victory at Jerez earlier this season and prompted him to go under the knife in the immediate aftermath of the race for a surgery – his second to alleviate that specific problem.
Like in Jerez, the MotoGP championship leader made a big break once in the lead at Assen, but briefly threatened to fade once team-mate Maverick Vinales moved up to second place and set off after Quartararo.
However, Vinales could ultimately do little to overcome Quartararo’s four-second buffer as the Frenchman succeeded at maintaining a consistent pace.
“It was a really tough race,” Quartararo, now 34 points clear out front of the standings, admitted after the race.
“I was struggling so much to overtake Pecco [Bagnaia in the lead], and I struggled a little bit all the weekend with my right arm.
“With the race, I could go, to be honest, three or four tenths faster every lap, but I was feeling really bad, and to be honest on the half race I was a little bit scared.
“But I kept the pace and I can be happy, because the [qualifying] battle with Maverick on Saturday, he wins, but the points arrive on Sunday, so I am so happy.”
Vinales cut a distinctly forlorn figure in parc ferme after finishing second, albeit seemed to at least cheer up somewhat in time for the podium celebrations.
The Yamaha man had been chopped across somewhat aggressively by Quartararo shortly after the start and dropped back to fifth – but said nothing of Quartararo’s move, instead lamenting a clutch issue.
“I don’t know what happened at the start, honestly the clutch, I don’t know why, burned out, and I was slow. Then I got stuck behind [Takaaki] Nakagami, could not pass – we have a lot of lack of speed on the straight, my only target was to be first [all race].
“When I got free space, I started to catch up a little bit Fabio but was too late.”
