Newly-unveiled Monster Yamaha MotoGP rider Fabio Quartararo predicts a great future for last year’s Petronas teammate and Moto2 rider Jake Dixon.

The Andorran resident chose the Derby rider as his breakout star of 2021, and described Dixon as a bright talent.

“If I need to help him this year to make him fight for wins and podiums, I hope I can give a small push that can help and I hope to have him soon to the Petronas MotoGP team in the next years,” said the Frenchman,

Despite Dixon having only joined the Petronas SRT squad last year, and the MotoGP paddock as a whole the year before, evidence of the pair’s relationship was clear to see throughout the entirety of 2020, from instagram posts, training sessions and pitwall support during race weekends, with the Frenchman even coming to the box to console Dixon after the Le Mans crash that denied him a debut victory.

Looking back to the October incident, Quartararo explained: “I don’t really win a lot of races but I’ve taken a lot of experience from each season and I think that, when you lead your first race, like he did - he had Sam behind but Sam was one of the favourites of the championship and he just keep him one second behind him during a lot of laps - I think he just did an amazing job and he learn a lot.

“Then he had tough moments, he brake his hand, so it’s always good to have someone to go into the box that has a little bit of experience.

“I think it was great for him to fight for the victory, unfortunately he crashed but he learn a lot. He will have a lot of opportunities this year.”