08 Sep, 2024
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP's Fabio Quartararo negotiated the mixed conditions in the 27-lap Gran Premio di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini MotoGP Race with great skills, earning 7th place. Álex Rins took a gamble, opting for a bike swap when rain started to fall seven laps into the Race. But when the shower abruptly stopped shortly after, he needed to make a second pit stop and finished in 19th position.
Misano Adriatico (Italy), 8th September 2024 : The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP teammates had to make their way around the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in mixed conditions today during a the 27-lap flag-to-flag race. The duo went for different strategies when rain started to fall at the Gran Premio di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini: Fabio Quartararo opted to stay out on slicks, whilst Álex Rins decided to try a bike swap. They finished in 7th and 19th place respectively.
Dark clouds and spots of rain added extra tension on the starting grid, as they turned today's event into a flag-to-flag race (with bike swaps allowed), causing some chaos.
Quartararo had a good start from P10, but there was a lot of contact between riders on the opening lap. The Yamaha man ultimately settled into 11th place after a scrap with Álex Marquez. With 23 laps to go, Pedro Acosta crashed, moving the Frenchman up to tenth, but a gap was starting to form between him and the riders ahead. On lap 7, rain was coming down more heavily. It caught out Franco Morbidelli, who crashed out. Jorge Martin was the only front rider to go into the pits to swap bikes. Quartararo was then in eighth and, feeling brave, quickly gained on the leading group. After an unsuccessful attempt at overtaking Marco Bezzecchi, El Diablo bided his time until, with two laps to go, he put in an overtake on Jack Miller and made it stick. It earned him seventh place, 17.642s from first.
Rins commenced the Race from P20 and was lying in 21st after negotiating the tricky opening lap. With rain starting to fall seven laps into the race, the number-42 rider considered his options and decided he had nothing to lose and everything to gain. He came into the pits to do a bike swap. The gamble didn't pay off, however. When the rain suddenly stopped, leaving the track conditions more dry than wet, he had to come in a second time to switch back to his first bike. After the ordeal, he was back in 20th place. The Spaniard started pushing once more. With Aleix Espargaró retiring from the Race on lap 15, Rins rode to a 19th-place finish.
Today's results see Quartararo remain in 14th place in the overall standings with 61 points. Rins stays in 20th position with 15 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP keep their 9th place in the team championship with 76 points, and Yamaha hold on to 4th position in the constructor's championship with 72 points.
MotoGP will be back in action at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli tomorrow for a one-day official IRTA test. Moreover, in two weeks' time the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix will be held at the same venue.
