Francesco Bagnaia made it five MotoGP poles in a row in another Ducati 1-2 from Jack Miller as Suzuki’s Joan Mir was third.
Q1:
The first part in the MotoGP Algarve GP qualifying saw an early crash for KTM’s Brad Binder in Turn 3, but he managed to get back in the pits. Replays showed a slide through in the right-hander where Tech 3 KTM rider just managed to avoid going over the South African.
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro led the way early on from KTM’s Miguel Oliveira, but Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco bettered the Spaniard’s time to go quickest with a 1m39.340s lap. The final run saw a crash for LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami at Turn 5.
He tried to get back on but couldn’t, as Tech 3’s Iker Lecuona triumphed Zarco with a 1m39.171s lap but the Frenchman bounced back with a 1m39.130s to make it into Q2 along with the Spaniard. Avintia Ducati’s Enea Bastianini missed out in 13th.
Espargaro was bumped to 14th eventually with Tech 3’s Danilo Petrucci in 15th ahead of Petronas SRT’s Valentino Rossi and KTM’s Oliveira. Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales’ late lap didn’t benefit him as he was 18th from Binder, who couldn’t do any better.
Honda’s Stefan Bradl – replacing Marc Marquez – was 20th from Petronas SRT’s Andrea Dovizioso, with Nakagami rounding out in the 22nd position.
Q2:
The second part in MotoGP Algarve GP qualifying saw a fierce fight at the top with Ducati’s Jack Miller leading with a 1m38.836s lap ahead of Suzuki’s Joan Mir and Pramac’s Jorge Martin in the front-row, leaving Francesco Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo down.
One of the Frenchman’s quick lap was deleted for yellow flag when Avintia’s Luca Marini crashed out, without setting a lap time. He rushed back into the pits to get a lap on the second bike which he managed to do so with fare amount of time remaining.
The second run saw Bagnaia bounce back to take top spot from Miller as he further lowered the lap record which the Australian had snatched. The Italian dipped further to set a 1m38.725s to register fifth MotoGP pole in a row in Algarve GP.
It was a Ducati 1-2 with Miller in second after his 1m38.829s lap, as Suzuki’s Mir ended up third, but wasn’t too pleased with LCR Honda’s Alex Marquez who slowed at a time when he was on a hot lap. Martin was fourth ahead of Pramac teammate Zarco.
They had a small brush while entering the pitlane after their first run. Honda’s Pol Espargaro was sixth ahead of 2021 MotoGP champion Quartararo abode his Yamaha. Marquez was eighth from the other Yamaha of Franco Morbidelli.
Tech 3’s Lecuona was 10th from Suzuki’s Alex Rins as Marini rounded out the 12 runners in Q2 of MotoGP Algarve GP.
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