Valencia—Fabio need only finish
eighth at all three.
The self-styled "Devil" (El
Diablo) has put on a masterfully
complete display. Very well-
rounded and really grown-up.
The statistics show the
breadth of his talent.
He's had front-row starts at 14
of 15 races including four poles.
One miss was in Qatar, where
he was on the second row
instead. Thus proving over and
again his prowess at setting a
single fast lap when it matters.
Then there are five race wins
plus five more podiums. Only
once has he finished outside the
top ten, when he was stricken
with arm-pump at Jerez. Even
his bad days have been good.
This underlines his race craft, as
well as an ability to see the big
picture.
Consistency makes champi-
ons. The consistency he lacked
last season. Proof of a new
maturity. A champion knows how
to win when it's possible, but
also how to put points ahead of
pride.
All the while he has been
relaxed and cheerful, with a
reliable toothy grin that speaks
volumes. Where other riders
withdraw into themselves on the
grid, often blotting everything
out with music, Fabio prefers to
chat and joke with his mechan-
ics.
T
o say that Fabio Quar-
tararo has one hand on
the 2021 MotoGP World
Championship understates the
case. He has one arm right
around it, and the other (heavily
tattooed) carefully manipulating
throttle and brake to make sure
he doesn't mess it up.
The 22-year-old need only
finish one place ahead of his last
remaining rival Pecco Bagnaia
at the next round at Misano to
become the first French premier-
class champion in more than 70
years of grand prix history.
Put another way, in the un-
likely event that the Italian Ducati
rider wins all three remaining
races—Misano, Algarve and
P134
CN
III IN THE PADDOCK
BY MICHAEL SCOTT
QUARTARARO'S
UNEASY CROWN
