2022 Spanish MotoGP, Jerez – Free Practice (2) Results

TIMES TO FOLLOW

* Rookie

Official Jerez MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Maverick Vinales SPA Yamaha 1m 36.584s (2020)
Fastest race lap:
Fabio Quartararo FRA Yamaha 1m 37.770s (2021)
 

Fabio Quartararo continues the momentum from his Portimao victory by leading Free Practice 2 for the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez, a session that Marc Marquez fall twice in quick succession on his way to 19th.

Suzuki team-mates Joan Mir and Alex Rins had been first and second in FP1, but their best morning laps were beaten by Francesco Bagnaia within the opening minutes of the afternoon session.

After a painful final turn spill on his way to fourth this morning, Portimao winner and new joint title leader (with Rins) Quartararo put his Yamaha at the head of the field soon after.

Mir and Aleix Espargaro were next to feature in P1, just before the halfway stage, with the Aprilia rider reigning until Takaaki Nakagami stuck a new soft rear in his LCR Honda to edge 0.1s clear with 7mins to go.

Others followed suit with new soft rubber, resulting in Bagnaia, Martin, Quartararo and Enea Bastianini all vaulting ahead of Nakagami.

Quartararo’s continued his charge to set a 1m 37.071s on his penultimate lap, with Gresini Ducati’s former title leader Bastianini best of the rest (+0.2s), just ahead of Bagnaia.

An early mix-up between a slow-moving Marc Marquez, team-mate Pol Espargaro and rookie Remy Gardner left Espargaro and then Gardner gesturing at the #93 in frustration into the final corner.

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Marquez’s afternoon got a lot worse when he lost the front of his Honda at the slow Turn 6 hairpin, now named after former team-mate Dani Pedrosa.

The #93 then rejoined and was riding slowly back to the pits when he fell again, just a few corners later, when he ran over a damp patch while leaving space on the inside for Miguel Oliveira at Turn 9! 

Marquez was given a lift back to the pits on a scooter ridden by none other than Pedrosa, watching trackside as part of his role as KTM test rider.

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Luckless scenes for @marcmarquez93!

After ing at Turn 6 and picking the bike up, Marc hit a damp patch at Turn 9 and ed again! #SpanishGP hJgt1ofqEC

— MotoGP (@MotoGP) April 29, 2022

Today’s accidents were Marquez’s second and third since returning from diplopia in COTA. The Repsol Honda star later received another visual ‘hurry up’ from Pol’s older brother Aleix on his way to a lowly 19th (+1.1s) on soft rubber.

Tech3 KTM’s Raul Fernandez, ruled out of last Sunday’s Portimao round due to a right-hand injury in qualifying, has also been declared unfit for Jerez.

Factory test riders Stefan Bradl (Honda) and Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia) are making wild-card card appearances this weekend, ahead of Monday’s official test.

After third place for Aleix Espargaro in Portimao, one more podium finish for the RS-GP will mean Aprilia lose technical concessions.

Quartararo looked set for a comfortable victory at Jerez last season, only to fade from the lead with arm pump problems (for which he then underwent surgery) handing Ducati a one-two with Jack Miller and Francesco Bagnaia.

Franco Morbidelli completed the podium in third last year, taking what would be the final rostrum for Petronas Yamaha SRT.

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Spanish MotoGP schedule – UK Time

Friday April 29

8.00-8.40am – Moto3 Free Practice 1

8.55-9.40am – MotoGP Free Practice 1

9.55-10.35am – Moto2 Free Practice 1

12.15-12.55pm – Moto3 Free Practice 2

1.10-1.55pm – MotoGP Free Practice 2

2.10pm-2.50pm – Moto2 Free Practice 2

 

Saturday April 30

8.00-8.40am – Moto3 Free Practice 3

8.55-9.40am – MotoGP Free Practice 3

9.55am-10.35am – Moto2 Free Practice 3

11.35am-11.50am – Moto3 Qualifying 1

12-12.15pm – Moto3 Qualifying 2

12.30-1pm – MotoGP Free Practice 4

1.10-1.25pm – MotoGP Qualifying 1

1.35-1.50pm – MotoGP Qualifying 2

2.10-2.25pm – Moto2 Qualifying 1

2.35pm-2.50pm – Moto2 Qualifying 2

 

Sunday May 1

8.00-8.10am – Moto3 warm-up

8.20-8.30am – Moto2 warm-up

8.40-9am – MotoGP warm-up

10am – Moto3 race

11.20am – Moto2 race

1pm – MotoGP race