VOLUME 58 ISSUE 50 DECEMBER 14, 2021 P127
since 2016 and is always there
to offer perspective. Having that
close circle of confidants he fully
trusts has been another key.
It wasn't always this way.
Father Etienne, a former racer
of national renown, was a great
help in his formative years. But
the pair would regularly clash
during Fabio's tougher moments
in the junior classes. "That's also
when we had a bit of fighting
with each other," he told CN.
"He understood it well. We have
a really good relationship, but
we can't really work together.
I like it when he's here with my
mum and enjoying it—not coming
to me to talk about bikes. When
he's here I want to talk about
whatever, but not bikes. I don't
have many opportunities to see
him so it's great to have him in
the paddock, but not [to talk]
about bikes."
At the beginning of the year,
Viñales stated Yamaha had a
chance to unIte its factory team,
after years of his and Rossi's ga-
rage working almost as separate
entities. "For the last three years
the team has a bit like, every-
one was going alone," Viñales
said in March. But it was Quar-
tararo, not him, that successfully
merged them both.
Looking at Quartararo's effect
on the factory squad as a whole,
team manager Massimo Mere-
galli was struck by the ambience
his rider has created in such a
short time. "He brought some
happiness in the garage," said
the Italian. "From the end of last
year to now he didn't change.
He has always been humble,
happy and polite. In my opinion,
he has the quality, in his own
way, he created a group and he
is able to get 100 percent from
the people that are working from
him. And I only saw this quality in
Valentino before."
The Next Marquez –
Dealing With The Hype
Born into a biking family, Fabio's
love for bikes came naturally.
"To be honest, it
was only bikes
[that interested me
during childhood].
But not because my
dad told me, 'You
need to be on the
bike!' It was more
natural."
-Fabio Quartararo
The Mugello win was crucial in
setting up a healthy early title lead.
