Fabio Quartararo still wants F1 test after abandoned Mercedes plans

Quartararo remains keen to sample a Formula 1 car after plans for a Mercedes test fell through. The MotoGP champion had been lined up to drive a title-winning Mercedes in a private session at the end of 2022, a deal that stalled despite Monster Energy and Petronas sponsorship. He recently visited Mercedes’ Brackley factory to test its simulator, completing 60 virtual laps and noting he was about 2.2 seconds from Valtteri Bottas’ time in the sim. Quartararo described F1 paddocks as more exclusive and smaller than MotoGP’s, but he enjoyed both worlds and left the door open to organizing a future test.