Fabio Quartararo has been crowned the 2021 MotoGP World Champion winner, a day of unbelievable race drama. After qualifying in his worst starting position of his career, the 22 year old Frenchman climbed from 15th on the grid to finishing in 4th position. The win is the first for Yamaha since 2015, and the first for a Frenchman since 1949.
Quartararo was sitting 52 points clear of Francesco Bagnaia going into the race, only needing a finish with more 3 points to take the Championship. The moment came after a heartbreaking crash for Bagnaia, who crashed out at 5 laps to go on Turn 15 - the same turn that wiped out Aussie Ducati teammate Jack Miller earlier in the race.
Marc Marquez celebrated his first back-to-back wins since is stellar 2019 season, solidifying his return to fine form after injury. It also marks the Spaniard’s first clockwise track win since MotoGP of Japan in 2019.
35,000 fans were present to farewell Valentino “The Doctor” Rossi, as he raced for the final time on home soil, with an impressive top 10 finish after qualifying last on the grid.
Key Race Moments
- First lap - Miller led out of the pack, getting off to a great start, then Bagnaia took back the lead. Quartararo dropped from 15th to 17th position
- 25 laps to go - Mir took out Petrucci - Both out of race
- 24 laps to go - Bagnaia held 1st position, Miller 2nd, holding off Marquez in 3rd - Guarding his teammate from the Spaniard’s challenges
- 23 laps to go - Turn 15 - Miller went down, tipping too hard into the corner, and Aleix Espargaró inherits 3rd position. Miller out of race
- 20 laps to go - Quartararo climbed to 10th position
- 15 laps to go - Martin for Ducati went down
- 11 laps to go - Bagnaia set best lap track record
- 9 lap to go - Espargaró and Quartararo fought it out turn-for-turn for 5th position, Quartararo took 5th
- 5 laps to go - Bagnaia taken out at turn 15 - Repeating teammate Miller’s error on same turn. Marquez takes the lead
- Final lap - Bastianini takes 3rd podium place from Quartararo
Podium
- Marc Marquez
- Pol Espargaró
- Enea Bastianini
Tune in to BOLD and 10 play on Sunday 7th November at 11:30 pm for the Grand Prix of Algarve
