2022 Spanish MotoGP, Jerez – Free Practice (4) Results

* Rookie

Fastest Practice time:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1m 36.782s

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)

Francesco Bagnaia builds further momentum by remaining fastest, albeit by just 0.083s from reigning champion Fabio Quartararo, during final practice for the Spanish MotoGP at Jerez.

KTM’s Miguel Oliveira was a surprise leader for much of the session on his way to fifth, with Suzuki’s Joan Mir saving a big braking moment before snatching a late third ahead of rookie Marco Bezzecchi.

The hard front and medium rear tyres are expected to be the favoured choice for the race, and wer duly used by almost all riders in FP4. The only exceptions were rookie Bezzecchi, starting on a soft rear, and – most notably – Quartararo, starting the session on the hard rear. However, having already set a strong pace on the used medium tyre in FP3, the Frenchman had the luxury of also trying the hard just in case.

Nonetheless, Bezzecchi and Quartararo switched over to the medium rear for the second half of the session and both made a clear step in performance thereafter, each featuring in P1 on the edge of the final 10 minutes. Alex Marquez, Darryn Binder and fabio di Giannantonio went the other, switching from the medium to soft rear for the end of the half hour.

Marc Marquez, directly through to Qualifying 2 after grabbing a tow from Jack Miller this morning, was only 19th but spent the session on old tyres.

Qualifying 1, for those outside the top ten after third free practice, including joint title leader Alex Rins, will now get underway.

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.

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