Quartararo hopes for Lorenzo/Rossi-style rivalry with Vinales
Fabio Quartararo hopes he and Maverick Vinales have a rivalry like that of former Yamaha MotoGP teammates Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo as he joins the factory team in 2021.

Three-time MotoGP race winner Quartararo steps up to the factory Yamaha squad from Petronas SRT for this season in a straight swap with SRT-bound Rossi.
During their seven years together at the factory Yamaha squad, Rossi and Lorenzo developed a fierce rivalry, which led to a wall being erected in the garage to split their teams and culminated in a bitter fallout while contesting the 2015 title.
When asked during his first official appearance as a factory Yamaha rider at the team's launch event how he thought his rivalry with Vinales may develop, Quartararo said: "With Maverick, I hope it will be like Valentino and Lorenzo because they fight 1-2 in the championship until the last race.
"I hope to take the place of Lorenzo to win the championship, but I have a good relationship with Maverick. I think we can work really well together, and we can bring Yamaha to the top."
Read Also:
Quartararo led the championship for much of his sophomore 2020 season, but a dip in form dropped him to eighth in the standings.
It was the first time that the Frenchman had been a championship leader in his grand prix career and this led many to question his pressure management.
However, Quartararo doesn't see the pressure of stepping up to the factory team as a negative and feels he will be able to better steer the bike in the direction he wants than he could at SRT.
"First of all, you go into a factory team you have kind of more pressure, but you have much more support," he said.
"When you are doing testing, you are developing a little bit more the bike for you.
"When I was with Petronas, I had everything, but I just confirmed if it was working or not. But when you are in the factory, you say 'we need to modify this to go better'.
"The factory normally is doing the change or they try to do the best for you.
"I think maybe I have more pressure, but I've learned a lot in the last years to handle the pressure and in the end it's good pressure to be a factory rider."
Related video

Previous article
Vinales: Yamaha can be “one complete MotoGP team” post-Rossi
Next article
How Yamaha's new MotoGP era can unchain Vinales

About this article
Series | MotoGP |
Author | Lewis Duncan |
Quartararo hopes for Lorenzo/Rossi-style rivalry with Vinales
Trending
Repsol Honda Team - Pol Espargaró Q&A
Repsol Honda Team - Marc Marquez Q&A
Why Alex Marquez doesn't care about 'shutting up' MotoGP critics
Alex Marquez's form was one of MotoGP 2020's biggest surprises and, by firmly stepping out of his six-time world champion brother Marc's shadow, he proved a few people wrong. Not that he cares about this, as he tells Lewis Duncan
How Yamaha's new MotoGP era can unchain Vinales
After the electrifying start to his Yamaha MotoGP career in 2017, Maverick Vinales has struggled for consistency. Many anticipate that the arrival of Fabio Quartararo could spell disaster, but the departure of Valentino Rossi could be just the impetus he needs.
Does KTM really need 'super engine' for MotoGP title challenge?
Fears from rival MotoGP manufacturers that KTM would build a 'super engine' for 2021 have ultimately come to nothing with the revealation that the RC16 hasn't been radically changed over the winter. But does it really need that to win the title?
How Ducati's latest Aussie union can return it to MotoGP glory
Australians on Ducatis is an iconic partnership, the marque's last one yielding its sole MotoGP crown to date. But its latest Aussie union with the often underestimated Jack Miller can end this drought.
The "balls out" battle between MotoGP's true greats
Senna vs Prost is regularly cited as motorsport's greatest rivalry. But it can easily be argued Rainey vs Schwantz can stake that claim. That rivalry was in full swing during the 1991 500cc season, remembered fondly by both stars 30 years on...
The "warrior" MotoGP rookie KTM was right to back
The 2020 MotoGP campaign featured a standout pair of rookies, but one flew under the radar as he adjusted to a shock step-up armed with very little racing experience. However as his veteran team boss explains, the faith shown in him was not misplaced
Why Suzuki's Brivio replacement must come from within
With its charismatic leader Davide Brivio leaving for Formula 1, the Suzuki MotoGP squad he turned into a world championship-winning force in 2020 has a major recruitment headache that it needs to resolve carefully.
Why Alpine's latest signing could be its best hope of F1 glory
The return of Fernando Alonso to the renamed Alpine team is a sure sign of the team's ambition. But its latest appointment from MotoGP could be an even bigger coup as it seeks to end a barren run stretching back to Alonso's 2006 world title