MotoGP, Quartararo: “I get angry and scream, I got help from a psychologist”

Tenth overall, and part of a championship where he reached the podium just three times, without ever winning, Fabio Quartararo admitted that he still needed the help of a psychologist to prevent himself from being overcome by anxiety and frustration in situations below his expectations.

Having approached mental discipline in 2021 – namely,  at the beginning of Yamaha’s decline – the rider from Nice continued along that path, hoping he would be able to deal with the ups and downs of his profession in the most constructive way possible, all for the benefit of his performance on the track.

“My problem is that I get angry very quickly about everything,” Fabio stated during a podcast on the official MotoGP website. “So, working with a mental coach has helped me in life, as much as it has in dealing with the mechanics. I’ve never disrespected anyone, but raising your voice certainly doesn’t help in understanding.”

 “You need to be able to identify what’s not working. Complaining isn’t enough, because whoever has to intervene on the bike doesn’t know what they have to do,” he  contemplated. “It’s important to know how to identify the weak points, whether they’re corners, braking, or grip. This is one of the lessons I’ve learned and one that allowed me to maintain a positive approach, even in critical situations.”

The hardest part of the process of building a less testy character was accepting reality as it stands. In his case, it was going from fighting for wins in races and the World Championship to struggling to finish tenth. “Experience and entering a new phase of your career are aspects that allow you to improve. It’s in the darkest moments that we learn. When you win, everything is fine but, when things are difficult, you question yourself. You can overcome everything if you stay calm.”