We don't have to beat around the bush. Fabio Quartararo was one of the main candidates for a victory in Sepang. The French rider had started from the first position on the grid, and his race pace was good for an attempt to reach the highest step of the podium.

It's a pity that his ambitions were nipped in the bud, since the Malaysian GP turned out to be an uphill climb.

"Unfortunately, it was a very difficult race ," Fabio started explaining. "I didn't start off well, and I had several problems on the brakes, since I couldn't brake. When I passed Miller, I found the sensation I wanted, but it wasn't enough."

Apparently, the tires put a strain on the SIC Petronas team rider.

"I opted for the soft, and the biggest problem was the front, even though we all struggled with that tire. Besides that, we have to be calm and prepare for Valencia, where we'll have to do our best. Though it's a pity for this race, especially the first lap, which was a disaster."

At one point during the race, the French rider was about to tell Morbidelli off.

"I wasn't mad with Franco," Fabio emphasized. "I simply reacted that way because I was struggling with the front. This race has taught us a lot, despite being the first time I've worked this way with the bike. Too bad. I wasn't able to take advantage of the potential of the tires."

So there's lots of disappointment because of the opportunity they missed.

"This is definitely not the result I was aiming for, since we had the pace to do better. We're leaving this race with regret, but let's look ahead towards Valencia and the goal of doing our best."

Audio recorded by Matteo Aglio