Aragon MotoGP, MotorLand – Free Practice (3) Results

* Rookie

Key:
^X Rider is X positions higher than FP2.
= Rider is same position as FP2.
˅X Rider is X positions lower than FP2.

Official Aragon MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1m 46.322s (2020)
Fastest race lap:
Franco Morbidelli ITA Yamaha 1m 48.089s (2020)

Jack Miller moved to the top of an all-Ducati top five during an action-packed Free Practice 3 for the Aragon MotoGP, while title contender Aleix Espargaro and Aprilia team-mate Maverick Vinales both missed out on the top ten.

The pair will thus take part in Qualifying 1, where they will be joined by the likes of Marc Marquez, who made a huge save then suffered a fall (pictured) during the second day of his comeback weekend, while the Red Bull KTMs leapt up the order.

• Marc Marquez ‘happy with myself’, Kalex swingarm ‘not clear’
• Crutchlow: Toprak should ‘take the jump’ to MotoGP, even with a satellite team
• 2023 MotoGP World Championship – Final rider line-up

With most of the session dedicated to race set-up, Jorge Martin’s 1m 47.402s Friday best only came under threat with the appearance of new soft rubber with just over 10mins to go.

Miller, Brad Binder and Fabio Quartararo swiftly moved to the sharp end of the timesheets, while Miller’s factory Ducati team-mate Francesco Bagnaia had his front tyre smoking as he made a big save over the kerbs.

Miller’s 1m 46s lap kept the Australian fastest to the flag, Bagnaia closing to within just 0.030s, followed by VR46 rookie Marco Bezzecchi, Gresini’s Enea Bastianini and Pramac’s Martin.

Brad Binder fell at Turn 2 but his excellent earlier effort kept him sixth and best of the non-Ducatis, with Miguel Oliveira backing up his performance in seventh. World championship leader Quartararo, LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami and Suzuki’s Alex Rins completed the top ten, Rins despite falling at the end of the session.

He did the thing! What a save from Marc Mrquez #MotoGP #AragonGP NygUeEI4SN

— MotoGP (@_motogp) September 17, 2022

If there was any doubt about Marc Marquez’s growing confidence since bone realignment surgery on his right arm in June, the Spaniard made a massive front-end save through the fast Turn 17 early in this morning’s session.

But there was no saving a much more aggressive lowside, under braking for Turn 7, at the midway stage of the session. While his bike flipped in the gravel, the eight-time world champion immediately sprang to his feet and found a scooter ride back to the paddock.

After a brief return, Marquez slipped down the order while waiting for set-up changes in the Repsol Honda pits, before returning to hook a tow behind Quartararo. But the eight-time world champion seemed to be held up behind the Frenchman, getting close to clipping the Yamaha as he searched for a way past.

Eighth on his return to MotoGP race weekend action on Friday, Marquez could only manage twelfth and will join the likes of the factory Aprilias and Johann Zarco in Qualifying 1.

Suzuki’s 2020 world champion  Joan Mir, struggling on Friday during his return from ankle injuries, planned to make a decision on whether to complete the weekend or rest for Motegi after FP3.

Francesco Bagnaia is seeking a 5th win in a row this weekend, as he returns to the scene of his debut MotoGP victory at Aragon last season.

But the big news is that Marc Marquez, the rider Bagnaia narrowly beat one year ago, will be returning to race action for the first time since Mugello in May, after which he underwent a fourth operation to improve mobility and reduce pain in his beleaguered right arm.

Reigning champion and title leader Fabio Quartararo faces what has proven to be one of his toughest circuits – a best of fifth in 2019 and only eighth last year – with a reduced 30 point lead over Bagnaia.

Aleix Espargaro – now pushed to third in the standings by Bagnaia’s rise – could be another one to watch, with Aragon traditionally one of his best events of the season on the Aprilia.

Team-mate Maverick Vinales is also on red-hot form, with RS-GP podiums in three of the last four rounds.

After missing Misano due to ankle injuries from Austria, Joan Mir rejoins Alex Rins at Suzuki.

With Andrea Dovizioso hanging up his leathers after Misano, triple MotoGP race winner and current Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow is taking over the RNF seat for the final six rounds of this season.

Friday September 16

8am – Moto3 FP1

8.55am – MotoGP FP1

9.55am – Moto2 FP1

12.15pm – Moto3 FP2

1.10pm – MotoGP FP2

2.10pm – Moto2 FP2

Saturday September 17

8am – Moto3 FP3

8.55am – MotoGP FP3

9.55am – Moto2 FP3

11.35am – Moto3 Q1

12pm – Moto3 Q2

12.30pm – MotoGP FP4

1.10pm – MotoGP Q1

1.35pm – MotoGP Q2

2.10pm – Moto2 Q1

2.35pm – Moto2 Q2

Sunday September 18

8am – Moto3 warm-up

8.20am – Moto2 warm-up

8.40am – MotoGP warm-up

10am – Moto3 race

11.20am – Moto2 race

1pm – MotoGP race