The rumble of a MotoGP engine might be Fabio Quartararo's natural habitat, but the call of Formula 1 cars is a siren song 'El Diablo' can't ignore. Fabio Quartararo hasn't given up on his dream of driving a Formula 1 car, revealing he still hopes to complete a long-awaited test with Mercedes after an earlier opportunity fell through.
Key Points:
- Fabio Quartararo still intends to test a Formula 1 car.
- Previous plans for a Mercedes F1 test in late 2022 did not materialize.
- The MotoGP champion impressed in the Mercedes simulator, closing in on Valtteri Bottas' times.
- Quartararo highlights the stark differences in paddock atmosphere between F1 and MotoGP.
The MotoGP world champion was originally set to test one of Mercedes' championship-winning F1 cars at the end of 2022. The plan came together thanks to shared sponsors Monster Energy and Petronas, while also following the successful Lewis Hamilton-Valentino Rossi ride swap in 2019. However, the test never happened. Now, after attending the recent Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, the 27-year-old says the ambition remains alive.
"Yeah, of course. We had a deal, but we never really did it," Quartararo said. "I went to the simulator, I was not so bad, so it's something that I want to do in life, and we will organise something."
The Mercedes Dream: A Near Miss
The French rider previously visited Mercedes' Brackley headquarters, where he completed 60 laps of Silverstone in the team's simulator. Impressively, he finished just 2.2 seconds slower than former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas, giving him extra confidence that he could adapt to an F1 machine.
Simulator Success: Bottas in His Sights?
Quartararo also enjoyed experiencing the Formula 1 paddock in Barcelona, describing it as more relaxed and exclusive compared to MotoGP. He even spent time chatting with Lando Norris, something he said was easier thanks to the calmer atmosphere.
While he remains fully committed to MotoGP, Quartararo made it clear that driving a Formula 1 car is still a major personal goal. For motorsport fans, the prospect of seeing one of MotoGP's biggest stars finally get behind the wheel of a Mercedes F1 car remains an exciting crossover that could still become reality.
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