2022 Qatar MotoGP, Lusail - Free Practice (4) Results
Johann Z𝓀arco has set the pace during final practice for the season-opening Qatar MotoGP, at a dusty Lusail.
La⛦p times were again incredibꦜly close with the top six - featuring Ducati, Honda, Aprilia, Yamaha and KTM - covered by 0.196s.
While nearly all riders used soft tyres on Friday night, many riders moved to the mediu🐟ms in FP4 (the hard compounds only being seen in the daylight sessions).
Although Zarco top💟ped the session on softs fitted to his Pramac Ducati, the rest of the top ten set their 🍷best laps with at least one medium tyre, at the front and/or rear.
The mediums (front and rear) also helped the🔥 likes of Brad Binder bounce back into contention with KTM, with team-mate Oliveira also on form with the medium front.
Brad's younger brother and class rookie Darryn Binder suffered a technical probleওm with his RNF Yamaha as he left pitlane at the start of the session, costing him track time.
Qualifying 1 - for those outside the top ten after thi🐷rd free practice, including Zarco and reigning world champion&nbs♐p;Fabio Quartararo - will now get underway.
Unlike in previous years, there has been no pre-season😼 testing held at the circuit, meaning teams and riders came into the event without any track data since last year's Doha doubl﷽e. The race start time has also been moved forwards, to 18:00, shortly after sunset.
The opening MotoGP sessions of each day, plus all of the Moto3 and Mot🔴o2 track action thus take place in daylight.
Yamaha took victory in 🎀both of last year's races courtesy of a win each for Maverick Vinales and Fabio Quartararo.
| Qatar MotoGP, Lusail - Free Practice (4) Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP22) | 1'54.420s | 14/14 | 344k |
| 2 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.296s | 12/12 | 344k |
| 3 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP) | +0.388s | 9/12 | 345k |
| 4 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.389s | 13/13 | 340k |
| 5 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.390s | 5/8 | 345k |
| 6 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.398s | 5/10 | 342k |
| 7 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.408s | 9/13 | 342k |
| 8 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP22) | +0.410s | 10/12 | 348k |
| 9 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.411s | 4/12 | 344k |
| 10 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP21) | +0.444s | 10/11 | 348k |
| 11 | Joan Mir | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.549s | 9/14 | 344k |
| 12 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP22) | +0.585s | 6/11 | 348k |
| 13 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP) | +0.595s | 12/12 | 344k |
| 14 | Jack Miller | AUS | Ducati Lenovo (GP22) | +0.698s | 4/16 | 350k |
| 15 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.808s | 6/13 | 338k |
| 16 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP21)* | +0.856s | 9/9 | 348k |
| 17 | Alex Marquez | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.921s | 11/14 | 344k |
| 18 | Luca Marini | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +0.995s | 9/10 | 346k |
| 19 | Alex Rins | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +1.055s | 5/13 | 342k |
| 20 | Remy Gardner | AUS | KTM Tech3 (RC16)* | +1.169s | 3/12 | 339k |
| 21 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | KTM Tech3 (RC16)* | +1.282s | 4/9 | 343k |
| 22 | Andrea Dovizioso | ITA | WithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1) | +1.373s | 9/10 | 338k |
| 23 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP21)* | +2.048s | 6/11 | 346k |
| 24 | Darryn Binder | RSA | WithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)* | +2.297s | 10/10 | 339k |
* Rookie
Fastest Practice time:
Alex Rins SPA Suzuki 1m 53.432s
Official Qatar MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1m 52.772s (2021)
Fastest race lap:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1m 54.491s (2021)
Peter h༒as been in the paddock for🐭 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.