Malaysian MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow: ‘We need Fabio to lead and go’
But in Quartararo’s own words, 168澳洲幸运5官方ꦑ开奖结果历史:he now f⛦aces the ‘toughest job of his career’ - Ducati winning six of the last e♕ight races, including four by Bagnaia, while 👍the Frenchman and Yamaha have made just one podium appearance.
Such lopsided form has allowed Bagnaia to overcome what seemed an impossible 91-point disadvantage to Quartararo, after Sachsenring, and - in team-mate Jack Miller’s words - 16ღ8澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:the ball is now firmly in the Ital🎃ian’s court.
While Quartararo took pole position on his only previous Malaysian MotoGP appearance, for Pౠetronas Yamaha in 2019, he slipped to seventh in the race.
Given the current M1’s top-speed vulnerability, the reigning champion could become a sitting duck against the likes of Ducati on the Sepang straights this Sunday. Compounding that problem, overtaking has been a thorn in Quartararo’s si𝓀de all season, with his superior corner speed easily lost behind other bikes, which then outgun the Yamaha on the exit. Especially if grip levels are low.
As such, there is only one clear strategy for Quartararo, a🔴s spelt out by Yamaha test rider and RNF racer Cal Crutchlow: “We need Fa𝔉bio to lead and go, but it is not going to be easy that's for sure.”
In other words, Quartararo must break far enough away from the Ducatis to be out of their top-speed grasp as he arrives on the long s✱traights at the end of the opening lap.
“Both," replied Crutchlow, when asked if the Sepang straights or low grip w🅷ere his main concern. "One of our biggest problems is that we cannot accelerate. Rear tyre wear is not so bad, but the bike spins a lot and the top speed thing here is obviously more of a♛ problem.”
Either way, the Englishman is confident Quartararo will continue to make a fight of itౠ.
“I speak with Fab🧸io as a friend but also as somebody that works for him, let’s say, and he’s not giving up&nbs💖p;that’s for sure,” Crutchlow said.
“It's just a difficult moment and I think what he's doing on the bike is over and above what the bike is capable of, also. So he can’t do any more than what he ღis doing.
“Yeah, he made a mistake last week, but we haven’t seen him make many mistakes. He has ei൲ther been unlucky or the situation has just been not great.
“To even be l✃eading the championshiꦦp like he was, was already incredible.
"But he knows how to ride around here and I think he can have a good race. We just need the others not to have a good race, th🦩at’s the thing...”
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefr♈o𒐪nt of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
