We left Quartararo on the carpet in the Netherlands at the end of June.

Two falls, first retirement of the season and a victory left to his rival Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati).

What, for the Italian, to feed the hope of a title by moving back to fourth place (at 66 points all the same) – and what to instill doubt in the French.

This double fall revived the championship before this 12th round out of 20. If the Bagnaia threat is still far away, the Spaniard Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia), who has had the season of his life so far, at 33, is now within reach. points (21 pts).

Close enough to put pressure on the defending champion, especially since the Frenchman will have to submit to a "long lap" penalty in England by taking a detour on the circuit.

Quartararo had been penalized in the Netherlands, deemed "too ambitious" and guilty of "causing contact" with Espargaro.

"The inconsistency with which the penalties are applied by the panel of commissioners of the FIM (International Motorcycling Federation) harms the fairness of MotoGP", had accused the Yamaha team, taking the example of "at least three more serious incidents (resulting in abandonment of pilots and/or injuries) that have gone unpunished".

Bitter when going on vacation, Quartararo took advantage of the truce to return "in the best possible shape".

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"I'm really looking forward to being at Silverstone, I won there last year, he recalled. This time it will be tricky because we have this penalty... But honestly, it doesn't only motivates me to do even better".

Zarco in ambush

Right here last year, his victory propelled him to the first MotoGP world championship title for a Frenchman.

The other tricolor Johann Zarco (Ducati-Pramac), third in the championship on 54 points, is aiming for a first victory in the elite.

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With already four podiums in 2022 and four in 2021, the Cannes resident is doing better in two seasons than in his first four in the elite.

At 32, the double world champion in the Moto2 category has never been so close to a first success in the premier category... and yet his 13th place in the Netherlands shows him all the way to go.

Zarco still managed the feat of finishing the first half of the season as the first Ducati rider, while he rides for the Pramac satellite team.

In the factory Ducati team, Jack Miller, leaving for KTM at the end of the season, is only seventh.

That leaves Bagnaia, who hopes to string together victories as at the end of last season (4 victories in 6 races).

In the Netherlands, the Turinese had a "perfect feeling with the Desmosedici".

Before the first of the nine races remaining on the calendar, "it will be important to start on a good basis and not make any more mistakes", underlined "Pecco", out of retirement four times already in 2022.

© 2022 AFP