MotoGP Jerez: Francesco Bagnaia destroys the lap record to claim pole

Francesco Bagnaia will start on pole for the first time in 2022 after setting a new all-time MotoGP lap record in Jerez.
Francesco Bagnaia, Spanish MotoGP, 29 April
Francesco Bagnaia, Spanish MotoGP, 29 April

Bagnaia had to fend off early pressure from reigninཧg MotoGP champion Fabio Quartararo, but in the end the Yamaha rider was no match for the Ducati star. 

Before even comple🍌ting a flying lap, pole hound Jorge Martin crashed at turn one, bringing the tally in qualifying to three. Continue reading to find out who else suffered f💃alls… 

Although they had to wait an extra lap to really go for it following the yellow flags🦋 in sector one, Bagnaia began his tilt for pole with Marc Marquez right behind him.

While Bagnaia dragged Marquez round to third, the Ducati rider went top by a bi📖g margin over team-mate Jack Miller. However, provisional pole soon changed as Q✅uartararo set the quickest lap of the weekend thus far.  

Looking to recover from his early crash, Martin went eighth with just over five minutes to go.&🐽nbsp;

Changing up his plan of attack, Marquez jumped onto the back of Quartararo to begin s🔯tint #2.

Marc Marquez, Spanish MotoGP, 30 April
Marc Marquez, Spanish MotoGP, 30 April

While Mir and Enea Bastianini suffered sessions-ending crashes, it was all change at the front as Bagnaia set a n🌟ew all-time lap record. 

A time of 1:36.170s put the Italian over six tenths clear of Quartararo, who himself reduced the margin down to four tenths. Just like he did behind Bagnaia, Marquez g🌺ained time ♈behind Quartararo and slotted into fourth. 

That then became fifth as Aleix Espargaro moved u♈p to third ahead of Miller.  

Rins, Espargaro, Binder knocked out in Q1 by MotoGP rookie Bezzecchi

Crucial to dictating what kind of race is possible, Alex Rins was one of four riders who would have been considered ‘favourit♛es’ to advance to 🌸Q2. 

And with that, Rins’ first effort put him third fastest after Brad Binder and Pol Espargaro slotted into 🌃first and second. However, The Suzuki rider’s second flying lap was enough to see him go top by -0.022s. 

Just behind Rins and Espargaro was Bi𝓀nder, as the South African failed to improve on his following laps, while Johann Zarco was only fourth for Pramac Ducati. 

There were early issues for Miguel Oliveira as the Portuguese rider rema꧋ined in pit lane while everyone else was setting flying laps. The KTM rider eventually got out with five minutes to go. 

After moment𝕴arily going fastest by nearly four tenths, Espargaro 𒈔was relegated to second by a charging Marco Bezzecchi. 

Marco Bezzecchi, Spanish MotoGP, 30 April
Marco Bezzecchi, Spanish MotoGP, 30 April

But as the🅘 Italian made a move on Andrea Dovizioso heading into turn one with the hope of going even faster, the rookie then crashed at the very next corner. 

Despite looking like his lap could c😼hallenge the top two, Rins lost nearly two tenths in the final sector which resulted in him missing out on Q2 - will starꦇt Sunday’s race from 14th. 

One rider who didn’t fail to advance was Zarco, as the French rider set a stunning time of 1:38.003s on his very last lap.&n🧜bspౠ;

Joining Bezzecchi in crashing late on was f𒅌ellow rookie Remy Gardner.

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