Marc Marquez predicts Fabio Quartararo will become a “main contender” for the MotoGP world title next season after being impressed by the rookie’s surge this se๊ason.

After Marquez saw off the Petron𝔉as Yamaha rider in a last-lap battle at the Thailand MotoGP, in a rep꧋eat to their fight for victory at Misano last month, the newly-crowned eight-time world champion believes Quartararo can maintain his momentum into 2020 to become a consistent challenger.

With Quartararo expected to secure a full factory-specification Yamaha M1 next season at the satellite squad, Marquez also made comparisons between tಞhe French rider and Jorge Lor𒊎enzo during his time at the Iwata-based manufacturer.

“I already sai🅘d at Misano and a few races ago, Fabio is one of the 🍬main contenders for next year,” Quartararo said.

“He is riding the Yamahꦰa in a very good way and he is using all the track all the time, he found a way to keep the corner speed very high, so he has made the differenc🍒e.”

Marquez 🐓has dismissed the idea Quartararo’s threat will act as fresh motivation for him in 2020 and ex🦩pects multiple challengers next year.

“It is not extra motivation. It is another opponent and every year it will be ꦕnew names and every year it ⭕will be different situations,” he said. “We are in a sport that is not 100% the rider.

“We are lucky that the rider is a little bit more important than the machine but the bike is also very important. Sometimes you can 🦂be very good but then the bike is not in the best condition or the opposite, the bike is really g🐟ood and you are not in the best condition. To find this compromise is so difficult.”