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  • 17 points. 3 riders. Let’s go! MotoGP arrives in Japan

    17 points. 3 riders. Let’s go! MotoGP arrives in Japan

    The fight for the Championship arrives in Japan for the second round of the triple-header!

    Motegi (Japan), 20 Sept. 2022: The headlines overflowed at MotorLand Aragon, and now the paddock packs up and heads east for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan with three riders split by 17 points and everything to play for. Not since 2019 has MotoGP been able to race here, which in some ways now seems like a different era. Three years on, the immediate memory that comes back bodes well for the luckless duo from Aragon: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) vs Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP).

    Quartararo now has only ten points in hand at the top of the table, but it was through no fault of his own and he’ll be more eager than ever to push to extend it again. He also arrives knowing that his last performance at Motegi, vs Marquez, was one of those that cemented his growing legend. So will that experience count? With action beginning on Friday afternoon, he will be hoping it helps him hit the ground running – as will Yamaha as they race on home turf for the first time in a few seasons.

    Elsewhere at the Iwata marque there remains plenty to talk about. Cal Crutchlow (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™) was the first Yamaha home after that bad luck for Quartararo, and the Brit has therefore contributed Constructors’ points already – no mean feat as El Diablo was the scorer until Sunday. Crutchlow has plenty experience at the venue too. For Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), meanwhile, that was bad news – and he needs to find his way back into the form that’s seen him win races.

    So, Honda. After the dust settled at MotorLand, we were left with even more questions about Marquez as the number 93 failed to make it out of Q1 due to yellow flags, and then failed to make it far into the race with that bad luck. Where would he have finished? There remain some cards close to the Repsol Honda rider’s chest and home turf for the factory is an interesting place to have to play them. As a true veteran now, Marquez knows the track better than everyone on the grid – so what can we expect? And can Pol Espargaro move forward on the other side of the garage?

    Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol), meanwhile, Motegi has always been a good track and the number 73 has multiple wins in the smaller classes. But he’s also riding it for the first time in MotoGP™, as are many on the grid, so it will be an interesting one. There is also plenty on the line for Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) as he even races a race to fitness. Getting caught up in that early race crash has left him with an injured hand and he’ll need to pass a medical – but he also has some serious experience at Motegi. What can he do on home turf? There will be home representation too for Tetsuta Nagashima as he wildcards with HRC, and Takuya Tsuda will be replacing Joan Mir at Team Suzuki Ecstar as they face a bittersweet final weekend on home turf and Alex Rins looks to add another podium.

    Meanwhile, Ducati march on. After the duel at Misano, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) did it again at MotorLand for another spectacular finish, and this time with Bastianini on top. But Motegi could be a different story as the ‘Beast’ rides the track for the first time in MotoGP™, and Bagnaia has only one outing in the premier class under his belt at the venue. That’s also true of Quartararo, but the two had very different races. How will that ten-point gap look this Sunday?

    Elsewhere at the Borgo Panigale factory there are plenty of talking points as well. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) has solid experience of Motegi, and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) too but not with Ducati. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) will be heading in to taste the track for the first time in the premier class, as will Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). With so much having changed since 2019, will that prove a sort of reset? Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) will hope it will as he looks to move forward again too, although the rookie continues impressing.

    That phrase applies to Aprilia Racing and Aleix Espargaro even more. After a longer stint off the podium and watching that gap grow, MotorLand saw a return to the rostrum and after a weekend of ups and downs, too. That seems a statement of intent from the number 41 as he pulled it out the bag when needed on race day, and he’s back to within 17 points of those ahead. Will the lesser experience for everyone on the grid also play into their hands? The RS-GP is a newer bike, and Motegi leaves everyone in need of data on the machinery they return with. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) will also hope so, although the number 12 was caught up in avoiding that early race incident, he’ll most definitely want more from Japan after his recent podium pace took a dip.

    KTM will be interesting to watch, too. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) put in a stunner at Aragon to come home fourth, and he held third for much of the race. That’s their best result since teammate Miguel Oliveira won in Indonesia, and they’ll want to back it up. Oliveira has ridden Motegi in the premier class and Binder hasn’t, but there could be some opportunity on the horizon again as returning to the track for the first time since 2019 promises a shuffle. Can the Mattighofen factory fight for the podium again?

    Quartararo, Bagnaia and Aleix Espargaro are now split by just 17 points, Marquez remains a somewhat unknown quantity, and we’re heading onto home turf for Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki. There’s plenty at stake in the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, so make sure you don’t miss it as we go racing at 15:00 (GMT +9) local time on Sunday!

    MotoGP Championship – Top 5

    1 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – Yamaha – 211
    2 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 201
    3 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) – Aprilia – 194
    4 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 163
    5 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 134

  • Bagnaia holds off charging Quartararo in a tense finish

    Bagnaia holds off charging Quartararo in a tense finish

    Three in a row makes perfect reading for Pecco, but Quartararo takes Yamaha’s best Spielberg finish after a stunning charge to second

    Spielberg (Austira), 21 August 2022: For the first time in his career, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) is a hat-trick hero after leading from start to finish in a tense CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich. But that was far from the full story as World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) put in a stunning charge to take second and Yamaha’s best result at the Red Bull Ring, putting in one of his performances of the season. On a day made for convincing rides, the two key title rivals both more than delivered. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) likewise impressed, completing the podium for another big and increasingly consistent haul of points.

    In front of over 90,000 jubilant fans the lights went out for the MotoGP™ race and Bagnaia grabbed the holeshot from Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Miller slotted into P3 and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) held station in P4. Quartararo got a decent start but at the end of the first lap, Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) passed the Frenchman to demote the Championship leader to P6. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), meanwhile, didn’t get a good getaway after his holeshot device didn’t engage but the number 41 recovered to P7 by the beginning of the second lap.

    Elsewhere, Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) crashed out at Turn 4 on Lap 1 and it was later confirmed the 2020 World Champion suffered ligament damage in his foot, declared unfit.

    Back at the front, the leading Ducati quartet quickly pulled themselves over a second clear of Viñales, who, in turn, had stretched his advantage over Quartararo to half a second. It wasn’t line astern in the lead group though. Miller overtook Bastianini at Turn 3 and Martin then had a successful bite at the cherry, only for Bastianini to snap back at Turn 1 on Lap 5. Viñales then made a mistake down at Turn 4, the Spaniard dropped behind Aleix Espargaro and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) before drama unfolded further up the road.

    Bastianini looked like he had a problem going into Turn 3, and Zarco did an excellent job of taking avoiding action as the Italian slowed right down through no fault of his own. The polesitter then ran straight into the gravel a few seconds later at Turn 4, and later headed back into pitlane as Bastianini was forced to retire.

    That saw Bagnaia and Miller open a one second advantage over Martin, and Quartararo was a further 1.3s away in P4 with Espargaro and Viñales P5 and P6. Martin was digging deep and on Lap 11 of 28, the Spaniard was right with his Ducati stablemates. Quartararo was still 1.4s behind the third of the GP22s and had main title rival Espargaro 1.1s adrift, as Bagnaia set a personal best lap to gain a 0.6s lead over Miller.

    On Lap 14, Quartararo set his personal best lap of the race and the reigning Champion was now 0.6s behind Martin. The latter then made a mistake at the chicane with 12 laps to go and was forced to give the position up to Quartararo, but did Martin then have a problem? He raised his hand coming out of Turn 4 to signal he might have but he was back at full speed soon enough.

    The situation with eight laps to go was this: Bagnaia boasted a 0.9s lead over teammate Miller, who was now hearing Quartararo’s YZR-M1 swarming all over the back of his GP22. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) had picked off Aleix Espargaro for P5, and Espargaro was coming under pressure from Zarco and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). Martin was still in P4, 0.6s away from Quartararo. That 0.6s gap soon became 0.3s though, with Martin now the fastest rider on track.

    With four laps to go, a sensational move at Turn 2B saw Quartararo carve his way past Miller up into P2. Miller just held off Martin for P3 as Quartararo saw Bagnaia 1.5s up the road at the beginning of Lap 26 of 28. Starting Lap 27, Quartararo had clawed 0.2s back and by the last lap, it was under a second as the Yamaha rider homed in.

    Martin, up the inside of Miller, then suddenly crashed unhurt at Turn 1, giving Miller an easy ride home to P3. But could Quartararo do anything to stop Bagnaia from winning? Not quite, but he wasn’t far away. Pecco took victory but by just 0.4s to make it a hat-trick and reduce the gap to the Frenchman to 44 points, although Quartararo’s ride was a headline-maker in itself. 

    Fourth place for Marini is the Italian’s best result in the premier class to date, and he eventually held off Zarco in fifth by less than half a second. 2.4s further behind was Aleix Espargaro who sees his disadvantage to Quartararo grow to 32 points heading to Misano, but on a tough weekend for the Spaniard, it could have been worse from P9 on the grid.

    Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) gave KTM a P7 on their home patch and it was another solid Sunday ride for the South African, as he and Rins were separated by a tenth on the line. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) claimed P9 ahead of Martin in 10th, the latter able to remount after his last lap tumble at Turn 1.

    Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Viñales, Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) rounded out the points positions at the Red Bull Ring.

    The title race momentum was definitely swinging towards Bagnaia and arguably still is, and coming up next is the Italian’s home race at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli – a track he knows like the back of his hand and a track where Quartararo has serious form too. With what was expected to be one of the toughest tracks of the season for Yamaha seeing El Diablo cede only five points and Quartararo, Espargaro, and Bagnaia now split by just 44, it’s very much game on in San Marino…

    MotoGP podium:

    1 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 40’10.260
    2 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – Yamaha – +0.492
    3 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +2.163

    Francesco Bagnaia: “It was long, very long, it was a long race. To be calmer and careful, we chose to use the soft front, but it wasn’t the correct choice for me at the finish of the race, but I’m very happy, very happy. I made too many mistakes in the first part of the year so it was the time to be smarter. When I looked at the gap, I tried to be very constant with the lap times, because I was sure my pace was good enough to open this gap. In the last two laps, I just tried to be as calm as possible because the front tyre was closing everywhere. So, I’m very happy. Again, this weekend we have done an incredible job, so I’m very, very happy with my team; they have done an incredible job yesterday, so I’m very happy. We move on to Misano and I’m really looking forward to being there again.”

  • MotoGP: Quartararo wins Catalan GP as Espargaro loses podium

    MotoGP: Quartararo wins Catalan GP as Espargaro loses podium

    Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo dominates in MotoGP win in Catalan GP from Pramac pair of Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco.

    Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo made a solid start in MotoGP Catalan GP to lead the grand prix from pole-sitter Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro with Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco slotting themselves in third and fourth amid a huge crash.

    Going into Turn 1, LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami slid while making contact with the rear of Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia and side of Suzuki’s Alex Rins. It was a huge impact for both the Japanese and the Spanish riders in the incident.

    Bagnaia managed to rejoin but eventually retired, with Honda’s Stefan Bradl also crashing out at Turn 4 later on. Quartararo, meanwhile, led the way from Espargaro, Martin, Zarco as Honda’s Pol Espargaro made his way up to fifth along with Suzuki’s Joan Mir.

    VR46 Ducati’s Luca Marini was seventh from Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales with the Top 10 seeing the Gresini Ducati pair of Fabio di Giannantonio and Enea Bastianini. As the race settled down, Suzuki’s Mir was handed a one-place drop for overtaking in yellows.

    Quartararo continued to lead as Martin passed Espargaro for second but the Aprilia stayed on his tail for long. Zarco was a distant fourth with Mir in fifth from Marini and Vinales where P Espargaro lost out hugely after showing pace in early laps.

    Bastianini was the rider on charge in seventh while being chased by Vinales, but a crash ended his race with teammate di Giannantonio also crashing out on the same lap from Top 10. Just before them, VR6’s Marco Bezzecchi also had a fall to retire.

    All this allowed the KTM pair of Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira to be eighth and ninth, with LCR’s Alex Marquez gaining places to be 10th along with RNF Yamaha’s Darryn Binder in 11th. Espargaro was 12th from Ducati’s Jack Miller, Tech 3 KTM’s Remy Gardner and RNF’s Andrea Dovizioso in the Top 15.

    It was all going Quartararo’s way as he built up a huge gap to Espargaro who passed Martin for second with Zarco getting into the mix as well. The fight for second intensified where Martin got back to second after re-passing Espargaro, with Zarco just behind.

    They had a big distance to Mir in fifth with Marini and Vinales also settling in. Behind them, Oliveira managed to get through Binder at one point but went wide for the South African to be back in eighth, as Marquez steadied in 10th.

    Miller moved up to 11th from Binder, Gardner as Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli and Tech 3’s Raul Fernandez moved up to 14th and 15th after Espargaro and Dovizioso dropped out, with the latter pitting to retire due to a suspected mechanical issue.

    Quartararo eventually secured a fine MotoGP win in Catalan GP, with Espargaro returning to second but bizarrely ended up outside podium due to a premature celebration. The Spaniard thought the race was over but only top realise it wasn’t.

    He started celebrating but quickly realised that the grand prix is still on when he got behind Marini. He eventually passed him for fifth with Martin and Zarco ending up second and third, as Mir ended up fourth ahead of a dejected Espargaro.

    Marini was sixth from Vinales, Binder, Oliveira and Marquez in the Top 10. There was a shuffle behind with Gardner ending up 11th from Binder, Morbidelli, Miller and Fernandez where the Australian lost three places in the end stages.

    Only 17 riders saw the chequered flag with Espargaro and Ducati wildcard Michele Pirro in 16th and 17th. DNF: Dovizioso, di Giannantonio, Bastianini, Bezzecchi, Bagnaia, Nakagami, Rins, Bradl.

    https://twitter.com/MotoGP/status/1533435065987997699/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1533435065987997699%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fformularapida.net%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D163709action%3Deditclassic-editor

  • MotoGP riders gear up for the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

    MotoGP riders gear up for the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

    Quartararo, Aleix Espargaro, Bastianini and Bagnaia talk business in Barcelona

    Barcelona, 2 June 2022: Ahead of the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, the pre-event Press Conference saw reigning Champion and Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) joined by closest challenger and home hero Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), three-time MotoGP™ race winner Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Mugello victor Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) to talk about the weekend ahead.

    Here are some key quotes!

    On a new deal with Yamaha:
    Fabio Quartararo: “It was not an easy decision and we took a little bit more time to evaluate all of the project and, in the end, Yamaha made a lot of effort to bring a lot of new people and they know where they need to improve. The last two or three years they were working on some areas or another and now they know where they need to improve. They know clearly it’s the power, so I’m super happy because they really understand. They are doing their best to find what we are missing and I believe in the project, so that’s why we took the decision a few weeks ago. Of course, it was a good decision.”

    Why stay with Yamaha?
    FQ20: “My first goal is to have the best bike and the best project like I said before. They convinced me because they’re bringing new people, they are working super hard and they know exactly where they need to improve. In the past maybe they were working on a few different areas but they don’t really accept the bike was slower than the others. Now they know and they are clearly working on this weak point, so that’s what made me take the decision to stay at Yamaha.”

    Thoughts on this weekend?
    “Last year was a strange weekend. I always feel good in this track. I had my first podium here in MotoGP, first win in Moto2, last year we were really fast, so there is no reason we cannot fight for a great result this year. Of course, we know that we have the long straight here but in with Mugello, it was a problem, but we finished second. Hopefully here we can feel much better from tomorrow morning and work a lot better than in Mugello and see if we can have a great pace since FP1.”

    How special is it to come to your home race with a genuine chance of winning?
    Aleix Espargaro: “It’s crazy, sincerely. Every year, the home GP is special, it’s very beautiful, very nice. During my career, when you’re young, it’s more difficult to deal with this pressure, to deal with a lot of people coming, but year-by-year, I have tried to improve this and I make it more normal. But this year again, it’s completely different because I arrive in the best shape of my career, fighting on top, so it’s fantastic. I feel very good and I will try to enjoy it as much as I can, working hard from FP1 to prepare the bike and put a good show on Sunday.”

    Do you feel any extra pressure here as a Championship contender, and if so, how do you deal with it?
    AE41: “Not really. I had extra pressure here when I arrived in 10th, 12th place in the championship and I was dreaming of fighting for the podium. I crashed every year because I went 200 percent and I wasn’t myself and the bike was not ready to go at the results that I was dreaming about. So, actually this year, I don’t have more pressure, it’s the opposite. I know I will enjoy it, I have no doubt that the bike will be competitive here, and I have no doubt that I will be competitive here as well, so I am trying to keep the feet on the ground but enjoy it as much as I can.”

    What do you think will be the strengths of your RS-GP around this circuit?
    AE41: “More or less, the bike is working everywhere. But, for example, in Mugello behind Fabio, I struggled a lot on the change of direction, he was able to carry a lot more speed than me. Here in Barcelona, there is less change of direction, but also the engine performance is very, very important, so Pecco and ‘Bestia’ will be very strong as well because they’ve been also on the last races. Of course, every circuit has its points that are good and bad for my bike, but I think Barcelona suits the RS-GP quite well.”

    Tell us about your helmet this weekend:
    AE41: “Four years ago, here during the Barcelona GP, my twins were born, and my girl had a problem with her heart. She’s been operated on twice, and I suffered a lot then. It is to thank CorAll Family and the group of doctors that did everything possible. I have a feeling that I arrive now and I have a huge impact on people, on society, so it’s my way of saying thanks to them, and paying tribute to them. Mia is still too young to realise this, but for the doctors, for everyone at CorAll Family, it’s my way of saying thanks to them.”

    Thoughts on the weekend?
    Enea Bastianini: “It’s a nice track for me. It’s fast but also a very technical circuit. I come from a not-so-beautiful race in Mugello because I crashed. I’m motivated to start in the best mood here. Last year it was a little bit complicated for me, the first time with the MotoGP bike and the grip of the asphalt is not too high. I have to adapt my riding style a little bit this year. We will see what we can do and we have to do our 100% percent.

    “I have to be more consistent because I’ve made some really good races but then some are not really nice like in Mugello and in Portimao. I have to do more to stay more concentrated in the future and also to enjoy it.

    “In Le Mans but also in Mugello I missed a little bit of feeling on the front, especially in the entry of the corner. I think we understand why it’s been difficult for me to stop the bike in straight-line braking. We know what we have to modify on the setup to resolve this problem.”

    Catalunya has not always been a great track for you; what are your thoughts going into this weekend?
    Francesco Bagnaia: “In 10 years in the World Championship, I have never had a good result here. My last podium was in 2012, in the Spanish championship, so I have to change this situation a bit. In any case, it’s one of my favourite Grands Prix of the year, I always like to travel here, I like the track, I like the people, and it’s great. But, for sure it will be important to do the same work we did last weekend, from FP1. We already know that racing here is like doing flat track, so it will be very important to understand that and improve our grip with the setting.”

    Will the key focus in practice be on how to manage the tyres for the last 10 laps of the race?
    FB63: “Yeah, the drop-off of the tyres on this track, especially on the right side, is heavy, so it will not be easy. Last year, the three guys on the podium, and Fabio, had the hard rear, so the consumption is high, and it will be very important to be smart in the race. It will not be easy because normally when the grip is low, we have to change the setting a bit, because my setting is a bit different, so let’s see. We will have a lot of work to do in these days but I am quite sure that we will be competitive.”

    Do you think you and the other three riders seated here are the clear Championship contenders now?
    FB63: “It’s the same as what I said in Mugello. I think that we can be the contenders for the title. There is still a lot of races to go but at the moment, it’s like this…”

  • Aleix Espargaro and Bagnaia split by just 0.049 on Friday

    Aleix Espargaro and Bagnaia split by just 0.049 on Friday

    A duel on Day 1 sees the Noale factory upset the Ducati lock out in the top six

    Mugello, 27 May 2022: Less than half a tenth decided the top spot on Day 1 at a scorching Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) just edging out home hero Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) as the two ended Friday split by just 0.049. Third went the way of Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), with Aprilia and Espargaro the only presence able to break a Ducati stranglehold on the top six as the two Italia factories came out fighting in the MotoGP World Championship here on Friday. 

    FP1
    LCR Honda Idemitsu’s Takaaki Nakagami dominated the final FP1 timesheets, four tenths clear, but it had been much closer than that. The Japanese rider was already fastest in a top four covered by just 0.031 seconds when he bolted on new medium compound Michelin slick tyres, front and rear, and put in a 1:46.662.

    Before Nakagami’s rise,  Bagnaia had been quickest on home soil for both rider and factory. He had clocked a 1:47.070 which Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) came so very close to matching when the Spaniard set a 1:47.071. Then, just before the half-hour mark, Aleix Espargaro did match it – a 1:47.070 exactly – before Nakagami moved the goal posts.

    Le Mans winner Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was fifth with a 1:47.186, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) only 0.005 further adrift and Miller next up in seventh after an early tour through the gravel, too.

    Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) also set identical times in P8 and P9 respectively, with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) in 10th, just edging out World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™)…

    Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) ran across the grass on the way to San Donato when he had a close call with Aleix Espargaro, also notable was Espargaro’s Aprilia team-mate Lorenzo Savadori, the Noale manufacturer’s test rider running with a REAR wing on his RS-GP…

    FP2
    It wasn’t long until Nakagami’s 1:46.662 from FP1 was bettered by Zarco, who set a 1:46.381 on his Ducati, and Bagnaia would move into second spot at the halfway mark with a 1:46.604 and 1:46.538 on consecutive laps.

    When the time attacks came in the final minutes, Bagnaia punched out a 1:45.940 to go to the very top, with Miller following him across the line to set a 1:46.313 and Zarco also in tow as he rolled out a 1:46.349. They were first, second, and third, with more Ducati riders also in fourth, fifth and sixth, but Aleix Espargaro had other ideas – he moved the marker to a 1:45.891 in the final three minutes, thanks in part to a slipstream from team-mate Viñales.

    Bagnaia had run off at San Donato as soon as he’d set that high-1:45, but regrouped and almost reclaimed the mantle of fastest lap as he clocked a 1:45.957 with the chequered flag out. He would stay second though, ahead of Miller and Zarco, with Marini fifth thanks to a 1:46.362, and Bastianini sixth.

    Zarco was also in the thick of the action for different reasons over the course of the session. His early flyer was still the benchmark when he tucked the front of his Desmosedici at Materassi, an incident which would not only scuff Pramac’s new purple livery but also caused a brief red flag period to clean up the gravel which had been dragged onto the track, rider ok.

    Rins later had a similar crash to the Frenchman, before Zarco went down again in the final minute of the session at Correntaio  – rider ok once again.

    Provisional Q2 places
    Behind that top six of an Aprilia leading five Ducatis, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder was the only other rider in the top eight who wasn’t on Borgo Panigale machinery, the South African slotting into seventh on a 1:46.439. Rookie Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) impressed once more in P8, while points leader Quartararo was ninth. For now, Pol Espargaro is the other rider into Q2 as it stands.

    With forecasts of possible rain on Saturday at Mugello, there will be eyes to the skies overnight as the likes of Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) in 11th and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) in 12th wait it out. Marquez was 0.767 seconds off Aleix Espargaro’s pace but just 0.040 seconds outside the top 10, having apparently finished the session on the new RC213V chassis. Rins and fellow Suzuki rider Joan Mir both also have work to do if they are to get into Q2…

    Will the rain ruin their plans, or can they fight their way into the top 10? Make sure you tune in to FP3 on Saturday from 09:55 (GMT +2), before qualifying from 14:10.

    Friday’s Top-3

    1 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) – Aprilia – 1’45.891
    2 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati- +0.049
    3 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.422

    CLICK FOR RESULTS

  • Masia brings the last corner magic at Le Mans: Moto3

    Masia brings the last corner magic at Le Mans: Moto3

    The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider takes a fourth podium in a row and another victory, fending off Sasaki on the last lap

    Le Mans, 15 May 2022: In typical barnstorming Moto3 fashion, fans were out of their seats for a grandstand finish as a restarted race went down to the wire at the SHARK Grand Prix de France. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jaume Masia earned victory after a thrilling final corner move past Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) while Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) stole the final podium place with another dramatic final corner past poleman Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing). It’s the first time Masia has taken four podiums in a row and it moves him up to second in the standings, 17 off leader Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team).

    The threat of rain loomed large over Le Mans on Sunday but initially, Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) got a brilliant launch from the line to take the holeshot going into the Dunlop Curve, but the Red Flag soon came out as rain hit the final sector. There had been seven different fallers, including GASGAS Aspar duo Garcia and Guevara, Sasaki, Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Riccardo Rossi (SI58 Squadra Corse), but riders all ok and all able to make the restart.

    With a new race distance of 14 laps set, it was always going to be a tight affair with the sun shining again, and so it proved. In a carbon copy of the first race start, Moreira managed to push himself into the lead from the second row while a superb effort from Championship leader Garcia saw him move up into the podium places behind then-closest challenger Foggia. Behind them, there was lots of chopping and changing as Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) battled with Migno and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) throughout the first lap.

    The race began to settle somewhat by the time the third lap rolled around, while Masia was finding his groove, picking off Suzuki at Garage Vert before getting the better of Foggia on the next lap at the Turn 3 chicane. The Italian tried to return the favour one lap later, but the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider fended him off. The race had lost Scott Ogden by this stage, with the VisionTrack rookie crashing out at La Chappelle, rider ok.

    Behind Masia, Garcia had moved up to second after getting past the Leopard Hondas, while Öncü in P4 had entered the podium conversation. All the chopping and changing brought the leader of the second group, Sasaki, into contention too.

    Back at the front, Foggia pushed himself back into second at the expense of Garcia. The GASGAS man tried to respond into the chicane, but it went awry and he was forced wide, costing him his drive out of the corner and dropping him to sixth overall. That gave Masia a couple tenths of breathing space out front, but it didn’t last long as he was soon reeled in by Foggia and Sasaki at S Bleu with just over three laps to go.

    Coming into the endgame, Foggia led Sasaki ahead of Masia with Suzuki, Garcia and Guevara just behind. However, a move at Garage Vert returned Masia to P2. Coming over the line for the penultimate time, it was anybody’s race. The Dunlop Chicane is always a popular overtaking spot, and Masia lined up a successful attempt for the lead.

    La Musee is another hot spot for overtaking, and that’s where Sasaki picked off Foggia, relegating the poleman to third. Having bided his time all race, the Japanese rider looked like he would steal the win with just two corners to go, taking the lead on the flick back left at S Bleu. The drama was still far from over, with Masia producing a sensational last corner lunge up the inside to take the win, while Guevara had done something similar to Foggia to deny the pre-season Championship favourite a podium.

    Behind that podium shuffle, Suzuki finished fifth ahead of Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing Pruestel GP), with Garcia recording a P7 finish. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) ended the day eighth, ahead of Öncü with Migno rounding out the top 10.

    Holgado, John McPhee (Sterilgarda Max Racing), Rossi, Moreira after a Long Lap and Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) are the other points scorers in France.

    That’s a wrap at Le Mans, now the field heads for Mugello and a very different challenge. Join us again in two weeks for more!

    1 Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo)– KTM – 24’04.119
    2 Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max)– Husqvarna – +0.150
    3 Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team)– GASGAS – +0.220

    FULL RESULTS

    Jaume Masia: “It’s amazing, no? It’s incredible, I don’t know what is happening, honestly. I’m enjoying it a lot. It was not easy to manage the situation after the rain, but it’s always amazing to be here. I just want to say thanks. We are really, really strong, I feel really, really good. Maybe we are not the fastest, but we can manage really well. Today, Le Mans repaid me for what happened last year, when I broke my wrist here. So, victory and the first row in qualifying is amazing. I really want to come back stronger, I want to go to Mugello because I like the track a lot. I just want to say thanks to all the people, all my team. We’re going to keep pushing really hard and just really thanks to everybody.”

  • Bastianini breaks Le Mans lap record on Friday

    Bastianini breaks Le Mans lap record on Friday

    Beast mode engaged! The Italian tops Day 1 ahead of Aleix Espargaro and Rins

    Le Mans, 13 May 2022: Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) was back in Beast mode at the SHARK Grand Prix de France, fastest on Friday and with a new lap record of a 1’31.148 despite a subsequent crash. The Gresini rider heads the timesheets into Saturday by two tenths ahead of Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), who’s keeping that constant presence in the top echelons rolling. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) completed the top three, less than a tenth off the Aprilia ahead.

    FP1
    Repsol Honda Team’s Pol Espargaro put in a 1:31.771 to end the first session of the weekend on top, the Spaniard with 0.109s to spare over compatriot Rins. Jerez winner Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed the top three ahead of reigning World Champion, home hero and Spanish GP sparring partner Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), with Aleix Espargaro rounding out the front five.

    2020 World Champion Joan Mir made sure it was both GSX-RRs in the top six at the start of the weekend, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) and Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) rounding out the top 10.

    It was a drama-free session for the top ten, but less so for KTM. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed at Turn 3, rider ok, and teammate Miguel Oliveira went down twice, at Turns 6 and 10. The Portuguese rider headed to the Medical Centre for an X-Ray on his hand and was given the all-clear. Tech3 KTM Factory Racing’s Raul Fernandez also fell at Turn 10, rider ok.

    Bastianini also crashed, at Garage Vert, and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) went down at Turn 11.

    On the flip side, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) didn’t crash but did put in a memorable save as he picked up his RC213V on the kerb at Turn 8.
    FP2
    Bagnaia had been fastest for much of the 45-minute session before Aleix Espargaro took over, but Bastianini then clocked a 1:31.523. However, the Italian had the lap chalked off after a shortcut at Chemin aux Boeufs, but he regrouped with a 1:31.148s just before the chequered flag, aka a new lap record.

    No sooner had he reset Johann Zarco’s All Time Lap Record, which dates back to 2018, did the Italian have a spill when he lost the front at the Turn 3/Turn 4 chicane. Rider ok though, and top of the timesheets.

    Aleix Espargaro also improved his laptime but remained second in the session, and overall, having notched up a 1:31.350. Rins had been second-quickest in FP1 and proved that was no fluke with third in FP2, too.

    Zarco grabbed some headlines too as he almost crashed at Turn 2 but pressed on through the gravel trap and rejoined, but despite that the Frenchman moved up to fourth overall. He ended the day as second Ducati, just pipping Bagnaia.

    Mir crashed in the session, rider ok, and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) suffered a spill and a run off, rider also ok.

    Provisional Q2 places
    Behind Bastianini, Aleix Espargaro, Rins, Zarco and Bagnaia, it’s reigning Champion Quartararo who slots into sixth. KTM’s Brad Binder is seventh ahead of Mir, with Pol Espargaro in the combined top 10 by virtue of his FP1 benchmark. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) was ninth in FP2 and 10th overall.

    With work to do in FP3 is therefore Miller, who sits 11th on combined times, and Marc Marquez down in P15. Can they hit back in FP3 and move through? That starts at 9:55 (GMT +2), before qualifying from 14:10!

  • MotoGP riders ready to take on Le Mans

    MotoGP riders ready to take on Le Mans

    The home heroes are joined by Aleix Espargaro, Bagnaia and Marc Marquez in the pre-event press conference as the SHARK Grand Prix de France fires up

    Le Mans, 12 May 2022: Bienvenue au Mans! The SHARK Grand Prix de France is ready to fire into action this weekend, and before track action gets underway it was time to talk shop. 

    The pre-event Press Conference saw Championship leader and home hero Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) joined by compatriot Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), second on points Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Jerez winner Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) as they looked ahead to another classic weekend of racing.

    How was the event with PSG?
    Fabio Quartararo: “It was already a really nice experience to be there this morning, to have the chance to ride the bike in the stadium and play with them. I think it was really great. Of course, it’s always super-special to be at a home GP, and I will give my best. Especially a home GP can make you more stressed and put more pressure on you, but I want to take this one like a normal one, enjoy the fans, and then enjoy the race.”

    Do you think this will be a rematch with Bagnaia after your Jerez battle??
    FQ20: “It’s difficult to know who’s going to be on top, fighting for the podium this weekend. It’s a different track to Jerez and the most important thing is to work as usual. We need to work well on Friday, try to already be secure for Q2, and find the great tyres for the race and our pace. Trying to have a good qualifying performance is super-important for us.”
    Aleix Espargaro: “This first part of the season has been great. I’ve been enjoying a lot riding the bike and obviously the potential of the bike this year is clearly better than in the past years. We are just seven points behind Fabio. It’s difficult to predict how the bike will work here because especially in the last seasons it has been quite strange regarding the weather conditions. We don’t have a lot of information but so far the bike has been quite competitive at every single track so I will try to work hard from FP1 and prepare the bikes as well as possible.

    On Aprilia progress:
    AE41: “Lorenzo Savadori was riding at the last two races as a wildcard with a ‘lab bike’. It had a lot of different things. We tried a lot of new things at the Monday Test. A couple of new things I will use in Mugello but the clutch, a carbon clutch, I will use for the first time this weekend, which is quite a good improvement. It’s lighter and better for the start, so Aprilia is working hard to try and reduce the gap in the places where we can improve. The start was one of those places and they’ve done a good job.”
    How confident are you of another run of fighting for victories after your Jerez win?
    Francesco Bagnaia: “It would be good to have the same trend as last year, but it’s different, so let’s see this weekend. Last year at Le Mans, I wasn’t competitive in the dry, so let’s see. It looks like the whole weekend will be dry apart from two o’clock on Sunday, when we start to race, but let’s see. It’s a track that I like, it’s a track where I got my first podium, and I love this place, but let’s see this weekend. I’m sure that Yamaha always is very competitive here, Johann was very competitive here last year, and Jack is always very competitive at this track, so let’s see what will happen!”

    Are you confident of being stronger than Indonesia if it’s wet?
    FB63: “Indonesia was a strange situation for me. Normally in the wet, we are strong and fast, but not there. I was very slow, the feeling with the bike was a bit strange. But in Portimao in the wet, we were competitive, and last year I finished fourth with two long laps, and I was well behind. But, in any case, every year is different, we have to understand everything better, but it’s difficult to predict now. It’s easier to predict the weekend after the first session of the weekend.”
    Johann Zarco: “I hope I will be able to use the bike well here. We should have some good sessions in the dry, so it will be great to find the right feeling early. After a disappointing race, the test was great to find something else and try to go faster. I hope this will continue here in Le Mans. There is the energy from the fan here. They’ve been waiting two years and both yesterday and today they are already here, ready to scream your name and that’s giving great energy. Let’s see then about the weather. It was planned to be fully dry for the weekend but maybe now it can change. So, we will adapt and see. All of them are pretty ready and strong to fight. Jack likes the track here and he will be there. I will do my job and see what I can do.

    “I think to catch two podiums already this year was great, it was a good sign of good speed. Overall, because we had many different guys on the podium, to be one of them that could repeat it is a good sign. But the two crashes from Argentina and in Spain doesn’t help to be good in the championship, so let’s find this consistency to repeat some podiums. I’m still running after that first victory. I hope if I can catch it soon, it will help to find even more confidence and consistency.”
    Did you and HRC find any breakthroughs in the Jerez post-race test? 
    Marc Marquez: “In the Jerez race, we did a small step in terms of performance, and we were able to be a little bit closer to the top guys, but not enough. Monday, I was able to test midday in a good way, and we tried a few things that were working not so bad. It’s true that there were some things we expected even more from but didn’t work like we thought. Let’s see here if all the new things we introduced helps a bit to be closer. I think they are not enough to fight for the victory, but the target is to improve every race.”

    You have a great record here but is it hard to predict where you will be on Sunday?
    MM93: “It’s impossible to predict, even for me. I don’t know what I can achieve on Sunday. For that reason, I start the weekend without any clear targets. I just want to try and understand on Friday how the bike is working, then on Saturday try to increase my speed a bit, and then on Sunday give everything. This was the strategy in Portimao, in Jerez, and it will be the same strategy here in Le Mans.
  • MotoGP enters exclusive strategic deal with Indian giant Tata Communications

    MotoGP enters exclusive strategic deal with Indian giant Tata Communications

    Bengaluru, 4 May 2022: Tata Communications, a global digital ecosystem enabler, and Dorna Sports, the exclusive commercial and television rights holder of the FIM MotoGP World Championship, today renew and strengthen their exclusive multi-year strategic collaboration – bringing the spectacle of MotoGP’s close racing and incredible competition to nearly half a billion homes worldwide.

    According to a press release received here today, with its world-leading, digital-first suite of media offerings, Tata Communications empowers the world’s premier motorcycle racing series to deliver an innovative and transformed viewing experience to its fans worldwide. Tata Communications media edge services will allow MotoGP to continue to ensure excellent video quality, coupled with tremendous speed, delivering the race live from the track to the viewers’ screens in just a few tenths of a second. 

    Tata Communications and Dorna teams will also boost migration from an onsite traditional media production to a remote production that will culminate in a future cloud-based model, increasing the number of video signals from 60 to 110 – some in ultra-low latency – providing more content to the viewers, and enabling the innovation of remotely produced immersive sound.

    These remote production capabilities, combined with the global video content delivery network, will also enable increased remote broadcasting of live track action, supporting the increased sustainability and long-term environmental objectives of MotoGP and Dorna Sports as both continue to work together on world-leading and world-changing technological solutions. 

    Tata Communications and Dorna have also been working together to leverage Private LTE deployment at race tracks to manage wireless camera feeds in low latency and the highest quality possible, bringing even more incredible content to viewers around the world.

    Dhaval Ponda, Global Head of Media & Entertainment Services, Tata Communications: “MotoGP represents the best in global motorsports today. Fuelled by our deep broadcast experience, video engineering pedigree and passion for technological advancements, we’re proud to extend this relationship to further accelerate the fan experience. Together, we’ll continue to co-create and elevate the viewing experiences for the legions of passionate motorcycle racing fans globally.”

    Manel Arroyo, Chief Commercial Officer, Dorna Sports: “Tata Communications has been  pivotal in enabling us to bring immersive live race action to our millions of fans around the world. Together, we’ve pushed the boundaries of innovation in sports broadcasting, increasingly bringing our global fans closer to their favourite sport. With this renewed collaboration, we trust Tata Communications to help us take the fan experience even further, using cutting edge technology to deliver an incredible experience for fans at home, which is as enthralling as watching the races on tracks.”

    Tata Communications enables some of the world’s foremost sports and entertainment federations. The company’s media, cloud and connectivity services are underpinned by the world’s largest subsea fibre network of its kind, creating a fully-converged, end-to-end solution for fast-paced sports like MotoGP. Since 2017, Tata Communications has played a key role of enabling MotoGP to continually push boundaries and create world-leading broadcasts of the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championship. This successful relationship has been built on Tata Communications end-to-end managed service capabilities and advanced proof of concepts (POCs) by deploying bonded cellular private LTE services, ultimately enhancing the viewer experience.

  • Zarco tops the timesheets at Jerez in-season Test

    Zarco tops the timesheets at Jerez in-season Test

    Some new parts are revealed on Monday as the premier class head out for a one-day test

    Jerez, 2 May 2022: Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) ended the Official MotoGP™ Jerez Test at the summit of the timesheets despite a crash, the Frenchman putting in a speedy 1:37.136. There was plenty of important running at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto on Monday, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) finishing inside the top three but the test about much more than the lap times. 

    DUCATI
    Two-time 2022 race winner Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was able to have a play with Ducati’s GP22 front fairing, while Spanish GP race winner Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed his test schedule before midday – 24 laps in the bag for Pecco.

    Pacesetter Zarco lapped quicker than he did in Q2 to finish top of the pile by a tenth and a half, as the Frenchman pocketed 54 laps ahead of his upcoming home Grand Prix at Le Mans. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) was the second fastest Ducati rider on track, the Australian was P4 and completed 53 laps.

    Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) was ninth on the timesheets as fellow GP22 rider Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) spent the test riding a GP21, working on his positioning on the bike and focusing on setup to find more consistency. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) was 13th fastest and was able to lap 56 times, with fellow rookie Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) clocking 64 laps. 

    KTM
    Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Brad Binder both tested a radically new exhaust, while the Portuguese rider was also working on setup. Binder was testing some geometry and front fork settings and finished the test second, with Oliveira 21st after lapping 65 times.

    Remy Gardner was the sole Tech3 KTM Factory Racing bike on track as Raul Fernandez recovers from the injury that saw him miss the Spanish GP. Gardner managed 44 laps but the Australian’s day ended with a crash at Turn 4, that resulted in him losing some skin off his left little finger and hurting his back. Thankfully there’s nothing broken. 

    YAMAHA
    The big news coming from the Iwata camp during Monday’s test was Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ Team Manager, Massimo Meregalli, confirming that Yamaha will have a new aero package at the Italian GP later this month.

    Quartararo was one of the busier riders on track as the Frenchman completed 78 laps before calling it a day, ending the test third quickest. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) lapped 83 times, finishing P17, one place ahead of WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team’s Andrea Dovizioso. Rookie Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) crashed unhurt at Turn 7 before midday and was able to get 54 valuable laps in the bank. 

    HONDA
    Ahead of the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) explained that Honda’s test started in FP1 on Friday morning. All things considered, it was a fantastic weekend for the eight-time World Champion in Jerez, but the work continued on Monday. The number 93 was seen testing a 2021 aero package but was mainly focusing on setup, with three bikes on his side of the garage…

    Fellow Repsol Honda Team rider Pol Espargaro was lapping on very used Michelin medium tyres in the opening few hours after saying on Sunday that they need to create an environment that has as little grip as possible. The Spaniard was playing with geometry and completed a whopping 85 laps, setting the fifth fastest time in the process.

    It wasn’t the day Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) would have been hoping for as he flew back to Barcelona early after a heavy crash at Turn 1. The Japanese rider is experiencing pain in his left knee ligaments – the same he damaged after the Indonesian GP – and although scans revealed no fractures, Nakagami will undergo further scans in Barcelona in a further check up. Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) suffered a mechanical problem towards the end of the day at Turn 1, but finished Monday’s test in P11 after lapping 80 times. 

    SUZUKI
    Team Suzuki Ecstar duo Joan Mir and Alex Rins were testing suspension items and swingarms, comparing them to the ones they’ve already tested. Mir finished P6 on the timesheets with a 1:37.756, Rins was P8 and just 0.024s off his teammate’s time. 

    APRILIA
    As their era without concessions begins, Aprilia Racing were working on suspension, electronics and swingarm settings with Spanish GP podium finisher Aleix Espargaro and teammate Maverick Viñales, both joined on track once again by Test Rider Lorenzo Savadori.

    Viñales suffered a crash at Turn 7 before lunch and then had a mechanical issue on the run into Turn 1 in the afternoon session. Savadori also encountered a mechanical issue with one of his RS-GP machines, an incident that brought out the red flags briefly in the afternoon. Viñales got a further 59 laps under his belt to continue his growth on the RS-GP, however, while teammate Espargaro ventured out for 46 laps, eventually ending the day P7 on the timesheets. 

    Has anyone found a step forward as Pecco’s race pace echoes in their recent memory? We’ll find out in just under two weeks – make sure to join us then for the SHARK Grand Prix de France.

    Top-3 at the in-season Test at Jerez:

    1 Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) – Ducati – 1:37.136
    2 Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – KTM – +0.158
    3 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – Yamaha – +0.368