Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP's Fabio Quartararo needed some time to get up to speed at the Mandalika International Circuit today during the 27-lap Grand Prix of Indonesia Race. Pushing to the limit in extreme heat, he secured 7th place. Álex Rins had a mostly lonely ride, but his efforts were still rewarded. He originally finished in 12th place, earning himself 4 championship points, but he gained another position and a point due to Takaaki Nakagami receiving a post-race tyre-pressure infringement penalty.
Quartararo had a good start from sixth place, holding his position through the opening corners. Struggling to get heat in the medium rear tyre, he was relegated to thirteenth by lap 3. The Frenchman did all he could not to lose touch with the riders ahead of him. On lap 9, Fabio Di Giannantonio crashed out and Marc Marquez suffered a mechanical issue on lap 12, moving El Diablo up to eleventh. By then, Quartararo had heat in the rear tyre and was up to a good rhythm. He overtook Raul Fernandez on lap 14, the beginning of a late charge from the Yamaha rider. He then passed Brad Binder and Johann Zarco, and with Enea Bastianini taking a fall seven laps before the end, the number 20 was in seventh place at the chequered flag, 13.203s behind the winner.
Rins was keen to make up ground, starting from P15. He was in 14th place, right ahead of a rider pile up in Sector 1 of the opening lap. After the lucky escape, he briefly found himself in 13th place before dropping to 16th due to a lack of heat in the rear tyre. Though his pace gradually improved, he lost a position to Joan Mir on lap 6. The Yamaha man kept his head down though because in MotoGP you never know what will happen, especially in extreme heat. Di Giannantonio, Mir, and Bastianini crashed out, and Marc Marquez and Augusto Fernandez were forced to retire from the Race. The misfortunes of others had the number-42 rider circulating in 12th place in what became a lonely race. He held the position all the way to the finish line, crossing it 33.633s from first. A post-race 16-second tyre-pressure infringement penalty for Nakagami saw Rins move up to 11th in the revised Race timesheets.
Today's results see Quartararo hold 13th place in the overall standings with 82 points. Rins is now in joint-19th position with 20 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP keep their 9th place in the team championship with 102 points, and Yamaha hold on to 4th position in the constructor's championship with 93 points.
MotoGP will be back in action next week at the Mobility Resort Motegi for the Grand Prix of Japan.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP's Fabio Quartararo needed some time to get up to speed at the Mandalika International Circuit today during the 27-lap Grand Prix of Indonesia Race. Pushing to the limit in extreme heat, he secured 7th place. Álex Rins had a mostly lonely ride, but his efforts were still rewarded. He originally finished in 12th place, earning himself 4 championship points, but he gained another position and a point due to Takaaki Nakagami receiving a post-race tyre-pressure infringement penalty.
Quartararo had a good start from sixth place, holding his position through the opening corners. Struggling to get heat in the medium rear tyre, he was relegated to thirteenth by lap 3. The Frenchman did all he could not to lose touch with the riders ahead of him. On lap 9, Fabio Di Giannantonio crashed out and Marc Marquez suffered a mechanical issue on lap 12, moving El Diablo up to eleventh. By then, Quartararo had heat in the rear tyre and was up to a good rhythm. He overtook Raul Fernandez on lap 14, the beginning of a late charge from the Yamaha rider. He then passed Brad Binder and Johann Zarco, and with Enea Bastianini taking a fall seven laps before the end, the number 20 was in seventh place at the chequered flag, 13.203s behind the winner.
Rins was keen to make up ground, starting from P15. He was in 14th place, right ahead of a rider pile up in Sector 1 of the opening lap. After the lucky escape, he briefly found himself in 13th place before dropping to 16th due to a lack of heat in the rear tyre. Though his pace gradually improved, he lost a position to Joan Mir on lap 6. The Yamaha man kept his head down though because in MotoGP you never know what will happen, especially in extreme heat. Di Giannantonio, Mir, and Bastianini crashed out, and Marc Marquez and Augusto Fernandez were forced to retire from the Race. The misfortunes of others had the number-42 rider circulating in 12th place in what became a lonely race. He held the position all the way to the finish line, crossing it 33.633s from first. A post-race 16-second tyre-pressure infringement penalty for Nakagami saw Rins move up to 11th in the revised Race timesheets.
Today's results see Quartararo hold 13th place in the overall standings with 82 points. Rins is now in joint-19th position with 20 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP keep their 9th place in the team championship with 102 points, and Yamaha hold on to 4th position in the constructor's championship with 93 points.
MotoGP will be back in action next week at the Mobility Resort Motegi for the Grand Prix of Japan.