In some ways, there is an argument Fabio Quartararo dodged the proverbial bullet at his home French GP in Le Mans on Sunday afternoon.

With Pecco Bagnaia, last year's runner-up and 2022's pre-season favourite for the title crashing out of second in this weekend's MotoGP race, Quartararo's fourth place finish meant he actually gained points on the rider he beat to the world title just a few months ago.

But although that meant that the French favourite did gain points on his closest rival from last year, that was not the case when it came to those who are most closely challenging him in the current campaign.

With Enea Bastiainini claiming victory in France, and Aleix Espargaro coming home in third, both riders were able to close the gap on Quartararo at the top of the Championship standings to less than ten points, and given the circuits we have just been to, that has to be a major concern for the Frenchman.

In the last two races, Jerez and now Le Mans, Quartararo has failed to stand on the top step of the MotoGP podium, something that represents a big chance that has come and gone for the defending champion.

In Jerez, Quartararo has been dominant when fit over the past couple of years, comfortably winning both races there in 2020, and he was well on his way to making it a hat-trick in 2021 before a mid-race arm pump issue.

That meant that a second place in Spain to Bagnaia two weeks ago felt like a chance for a win squandered for Quartararo.

Given the home advantage he had in Le Mans, and the fact that like Jerez, the French circuit is one without the sort of long straights where the Yamaha will not lose out on straight line speed to the Ducatis of the likes of Bagnaia and Bastianini, or the Aprilia of Espargaro, that too is a race where it felt as though Quartararo ought to be challenging for the win.

Of course, with 14 races still to go, there is on paper, plenty more circuits where Quartararo can pick up the wins he needs to claim back to back titles.

However, at a number of those races, such as Mugello, Catalunya, Austria, Aragon, Motegi, Sepang and Valencia, the long straights that are such distinctive features of those tracks means it is hard to see Quartararo's Yamaha keep pace with his rivals given the advantage they have over him in the speed traps.

As a result, you get the feeling that if he is to keep pace with those around him in the title race, then Quartararo is going to have to win at circuits where his Yamaha's comparative lack of speed does not put him at quite as much of a disadvantage.

That is something he was unable to do in the last two races, having been unable to take maximum points at either Jerez or Le Mans.

But while Bagnaia may have slipped up at the weekend, Bastianini - the only rider to have won more than one race this year (three) - and Espargaro, who has more podium finishes (four) than any other rider so far this season, do not look like doing that right now.

It seems therefore, that if Quartararo and Yamaha are not able to come up with something quickly, then the Frenchman's defence of his hard won title, may only be about to get even more challenging.