Fresh from a strong win at Mugello, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team heads to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for this weekend's Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya. The team is extra motivated for this round as they share the title sponsor.

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP ended the emotional Italian GP on a high note, winning the race and dedicating it to the late Jason Dupasquier. The team now travels to Barcelona for Round 7 of the 2021 MotoGP World Championship. It‘s a Grand Prix that the entire crew is eagerly anticipating. Not only is it Maverick Viñales‘ home race and a track where Fabio Quartararo won last year, the event also shares the title sponsor, Monster Energy, with the Factory Yamaha team.

Quartararo is looking forward to the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, especially after last weekend‘s emotional but still flawless win at the Italian GP. He made great progress in terms of mapping and tyre degradation throughout last weekend, and this leaves him excited to impress again at Montmeló.

The Frenchman has had his fair share of success at the Catalan GP. He secured a win there in 2018 in the Moto2 class, followed this up with a second place in the premier class in 2019, and added a MotoGP win in 2020. He aims to add another podium visit to his résumé this weekend and increase his 24-point lead in the championship standings.

After a disappointing end to the Italian GP weekend, Viñales is fired up and ready to go another round at another circuit that he loves. He plans to work on finding a solid base set-up this weekend and intends to collect valuable points for the championship. He currently holds sixth place in the standings, 41 points from the top.

The Spaniard is no stranger to the Montmeló rostrum. He previously achieved four consecutive podium finishes in the Catalan GP in the lower classes, with a second place in the 125cc class (2011), a first and third place in the Moto3 championship (2012 and 2013 respectively), and a second position in Moto2 (2014). Top Gun hasn‘t scored a top-3 finish at Catalunya yet in the MotoGP class, but he fancies his chances this weekend.

Work to create the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya began in 1989. Two years later the track was opened, and it soon became a crowd favourite after hosting its first MotoGP race in 1992. With an exciting 4.6km lay-out consisting of 14 corners (six left, eight right), the Catalan round is known to produce thrilling races. Its great reputation was underlined when the venue won the IRTA 'Best Grand Prix' trophy in 2001.


Fabio Quartararo

"I am really looking forward to this next round in Catalunya. It's a little sad to say it, but in a way I am hoping to forget about last weekend. Even though I rode one of the best races of my life, it was a dark Sunday. Of course, we will keep remembering Jason, but I am ready to start a new race weekend. I like the Catalunya track, I won here last year with Yamaha, so I think we can do a good job. We will do our best!"

Maverick Viñales

"The Italian GP was a weekend to forget for us, for various reasons. My thoughts are still with Jason‘s friends, family, and team, but we also need to make some serious steps this weekend. We will keep working on understanding what does and doesn‘t work for us and why. It‘s has happened a few times already that I am fast during the practice session, but then suddenly I lose that feeling with the bike later in the weekend. We need to improve on finding a good set-up in just the first two 45-minute FP sessions. For sure, we will be pushing again here this weekend."

Massimo Meregalli - Team Director

"Last weekend was definitely mentally difficult for everyone in the MotoGP community. This sport can be very cruel sometimes… It was not easy for the riders to regroup for the Mugello race so shortly after the news of the tragic passing of Jason Duspasquier. The whole MotoGP paddock continue to grieve, all in their own way. But we also need to try to focus on what is an important weekend for us and our title sponsor, Monster Energy. We are looking forward to this round, because we are usually quite strong here, and we think we have good potential to fight at the front again."