Fabio Quartararo has delivered strong criticism regarding the safety standards of the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit following a high-speed accident during the opening free practice session of the Indonesian Grand Prix. The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider suffered a heavy fall, but the primary danger materialized when he slid through the gravel trap and was violently launched into the air. Although he escaped with severe muscle soreness and bruises, the incident reignited serious safety concerns.
The weekend's opening session started with a major scare for the French rider. While initially appearing to be a standard low-side crash, the situation escalated rapidly once Quartararo reached the run-off area. The irregular ground level caused him to be forcefully flipped multiple times in what he later described as a washing machine tumble. Despite the physical toll, he managed to return to the paddock, climbed back onto his Yamaha machine, and secured a direct spot in Q2 during the afternoon practice.
"I was lucky. My left side hurts quite a bit, but fortunately nothing is broken. The crash itself wasn't actually that severe. The biggest problem arose when I ended up in the gravel trap. There is a much too big height difference at that spot. Something really needs to be done about that," Quartararo explained after reviewing the incident.
The former world champion directly referenced the severe accident suffered by Marc Marquez at the Indonesian venue previously, an incident that sidelined the multi-time champion for an extended period. Quartararo emphasized that layout specifics in certain gravel traps present unnecessary risks that require immediate intervention by circuit management and safety officials.
"It was similar to what happened to Marc last year, and we all know what kind of nasty shoulder injury he sustained from that. If he had fallen in a different spot, he probably would have gotten away without issues. Today I was lucky my crash wasn't as spectacular, but as soon as you hit the gravel here it becomes dangerous. They really need to change something at that spot," he concluded.
Despite the morning setback, the sporting outlook remained encouraging as Quartararo's improved pace with the YZR-M1 package allowed him to navigate straight into the decisive qualifying phase.
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