Francesco Bagnaia breaks lap record to take MotoGP pole in Italian GP ahead of brothers Marc Marquez and Alex Marquez.
Q1:
The first part in MotoGP qualifying in Italian GP saw Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez lead the way initially after his 1m45.298s lap in overcast conditions. He had Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli inside the Top 2, with KTM’s Jack Miller just outside.
Likewise Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo was just behind him with Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales rounding the Top 5. The second run started off with a crash for RNF Aprilia’s Raul Fernandez which disrupted the laps of few MotoGP riders on a quick lap.
Vinales dropped Miller but the Australian came back to make it in Q2 as Marquez upped his pace to a 1m45.231s time to remain on top. Vinales had to be content with third and start the MotoGP sprint and the main grand prix from 13th in the standings.
Morbidelli was 14th from Yamaha teammate Quartararo with LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami in 16th ahead of Ducati’s Michele Pirro. The returning Miguel Oliveira was 18th on his RNF as teammate Fernandez returned on the second bike to be 20th.
Gresini’s Fabio di Giannantonio slotted in 19th, while GASGAS Tech 3’s Augusto Fernandez was 21st where both took the track after their FP4 crash. Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori was 22nd from Tech 3’s Jonas Folger, as Honda’s Joan Mir withdrew after Friday.
Q2:
With rain predicted, it was a busy start to second part in MotoGP qualifying in Italian GP as Ducati’s Enea Bastainini had an early fall. He rushed back into the pits to hop on his second bike, as Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin led with a 1m45.268s lap.
He headed VR46 Ducati’s Marco Bezzecchi from Honda’s Marc Marquez, KTM’s Miller and his teammate Brad Binder in the Top 5. Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia was only 11th after first run, but he ventured out early for his second run due to the rain threat.
His run was interrupted by Marquez coming out of the pits as Bagnaia showed visible anger against the Spaniard. There was a fall for Binder when Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro took the top spot before others started to go quick and relegate him from the spot.
All that anger was vented by Bagnaia to set the fastest lap of 1m44.855s – smashing the lap record – to take MotoGP pole in Italian GP. He led the Marquez brothers with Marc ahead of Alex but the latter had a 3-place grid penalty for the main race.
Miller was fourth from Martin and Bezzecchi, with Espargaro in seventh ahead of Pramac’s Johann Zarco, LCR’s Alex Rins, Binder, VR46’s Luca Marini and Bastianini in the Top 12.
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