WATCH: OTD in 2021 Fabio Quartararo won MotoGP world championship

On this day in 2021, Fabio Quartararo secured his place in MotoGP history, claiming the 2021 MotoGP World Championship. On October 24, 2021, Quartararo became the first French rider to ever win the MotoGP title, a feat that cemented his name among the sport’s elite. Despite finishing the race in fourth place, Quartararo's performance was enough to secure the championship with two rounds remaining.

Riding for the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team, Quartararo’s journey to the title was nothing short of remarkable. Starting from 15th on the grid, he faced immense pressure throughout the race. However, the man they call "El Diablo" was undeterred, relentlessly carving his way through the field to edge closer to his championship dream. By the 13th lap, Quartararo was among the frontrunners, overtaking the likes of Jorge Martin and joining the battle for a top-five finish.

Here is the video:

Three years ago today, @FabioQ20 completed the dream!

Champion of the World 2021! 🏆#ELD1ABLO 😈 pic.twitter.com/PfeKgszweH

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 24, 2024

Quartararo’s championship rival, Francesco Bagnaia, had been leading the race for Ducati. But fate took a dramatic turn when Bagnaia crashed out, opening the door for Quartararo to claim the title. “I still can’t believe it, but it feels so good!” Quartararo said after the race.

He added, “This wasn’t an easy race, and while a podium finish is always the target, the front tyre was in bad shape by the end. But that doesn’t matter: I could’ve finished last and the result would’ve been the same. I’m a World Champion!”

Enea Bastianini clinched 3rd place in the last moments!

As the race unfolded, Quartararo briefly held third place, but a late move from Enea Bastianini pushed him down to fourth. Despite missing out on a podium finish, Quartararo’s achievement was undiminished—he had done enough to claim the 2021 title, finishing the season with 267 points and a 65-point lead over his closest rivals.

While Quartararo celebrated his triumph, his teammate Franco Morbidelli had a challenging race. Despite showing a good pace early on, Morbidelli struggled with fatigue from a recent knee injury and dropped to 14th by the race's end. Nevertheless, Morbidelli was gracious in defeat and full of praise for his teammate, saying, “Congratulations to Fabio, who was on-point this season — he deserves this championship!”