2021 is not over yet, but there are already those who are thinking of 2023. The MotoGP market has been forward thinking in recent years and Quartararo manager Eric Mahé has already started. Fabio is the rider of the moment, and whoever rules him knows that he has to hit the iron while it’s still hot. The Frenchman, who could become world champion in Misano next week, is now officially on the market.
“Fabio will go where it is best for him and everything is open to this day“Said Mahe to AutoHebdo. “Nothing is clear for 2023 at the moment. Fabio is of course happy with his performance, but we have to look at the details because that is more down to Fabio than to his package.”
It seems clear: Yamaha needs Quartararo, not the other way around.
“The trend is to register a year or a year and a half in advance. If there are clear perspectives, we have to move on. But the main strategy is not to rush so we’ll see what happens. “His manager continued,”We were contacted by two and a half teams. Two are real approaches, the other does not seem to be serious … We will calmly assess everything in due course. Fabio is young, he has his future ahead of him.”
Now it’s up to Yamaha to make sure the rider, who is just one step away from bringing the title back to Iwata, certainly doesn’t want to miss out. Plus, Quartararo will still be on the M1 next year, and there is a season that needs to be prepared.
As for the most important title contenders for 2022, Mahé has clear ideas: “I see Fabio, Marquez, Bagnaia and I would add Martin. The Fernandez-Gardner duo will also be very interesting. Natural talent for Raul and aggression for Remy. “
The coach also spoke about Marquez’s return after his injury.
“I think Marquez was perfect. He won two races, “he stated.” We know that he is still physically weak and we do not know whether he will remain so or not. The psychological consequences of this time are very difficult to assess. Some people, like Kevin Schwantz, think he’ll be drawn forever. Yes, it will be in his body, but not in his head. He fell twenty times this year and got back on his bike every time. If he had been mentally scarred, he would have said to the Japanese in view of his accident in Assen: “I’m going home”. He does not have the attitude of a mentally weak rider, but rather that of a not completely healed rider. At the same time, others have made progress in his absence. Personally, I don’t think he will return to dominate like before, but I think he will be able to return to a level that will allow him to play for the title next year, depending on his package, of course . I would like.”