Quartararo reveals struggle after ‘aggressive’ pre-race massage

Fabio Quartararo says he struggled physically in the French MotoGP Race as a result of an “aggressive” morning massage.

The 2021 champion finished seventh on home soil at Le Mans, continuing a frustrating start to his season.

However, it was not just the Monster Energy Yamaha package which was this time causing grief for Quartararo, who suffered arm pump.

“Six people in front of me crashed, so it’s not a recovery,” said the Frenchman.

“I’ve had a physical issue from the middle of the race.

“This morning I’ve been to the Clinica [medical unit] and I had the treatment on my arm.

“It was for me way too aggressive and I had arm pump from the middle of the race.

“I could have been much, much, much faster. So this is the only point I’m happy with that with the bike that we race, we could be faster, but actually what I had this morning was not good for the race.”

Quartararo infamously missed out on a victory in the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix when he suffered arm pump and underwent surgery in the following days.

He said his latest drama was the first of its kind since that which occurred just over two years ago.

“Since Jerez two years [ago], I never had any issue, but it was just the treatment that I had in the morning,” added the 24-year-old

“This year they asked me to [take] turns a little bit with every physio, so I’ve been to already everyone, I think.

“But now I will always follow with the same person that I think is the correct choice to do.”

Quartararo sits ninth in the riders’ championship, 45 points of the pace being set by 2022 title winner Francesco Bagnaia, notwithstanding that the Italian crashed out of the French Grand Prix in a run-in with Maverick Viñales.

The 2023 MotoGP season continues with Round 6 at Italy’s Mugello on June 9-11.

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