Italian MotoGP, Mugello – Free Practice (3) Results

Fastest Friday time:
Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia 1m 45.891s

Official Mugello MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Fabio Quartararo FRA Yamaha 1m 45.187s (2021)
Fastest race lap:
Johann Zarco FRA Ducati 1m 46.810s (2021)

Francesco Bagnaia recovers from an early fall to edge out Friday pace setter Aleix Espargaro for the top spot during Free Practice 3 for the Italian MotoGP at Mugello.

Espargaro’s Aprilia was the only non-Ducati in the top seven, with younger brother Pol next best in eighth for Repsol Honda, during a session that saw team-mate Marc Marquez just 21st.

Bagnaia’s team-mate Jack Miller, who suffered an early technical issue, and the Suzukis of Alex Rins and Joan Mir also missed  out on the top ten and will need to take part in Qualifying 1.

Reigning champion and title leader Fabio Quartararo took the final top ten place but was looking far from happy with his M1’s performance. 

Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin was another early faller, with triple race winner Enea Bastianini putting the special Gresini livery into the gravel at the very end of the session. Rookie Darryn Binder fell at the same final corner shortly after.

Quartararo leads the MotoGP standings by just four points from Enea Bastianini after the Gresini Ducati rider’s third victory of the season at Le Mans, with Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro just eight points from the top.

Quartararo won last year’s Mugello race after Francesco Bagnaia ed from the lead on lap 2, but can the Frenchman again compensate for his M1’s lack of speed along the fastest straight on the MotoGP calendar?

Local legend Valentino Rossi will have his #46 officially retired from MotoGP on Saturday.

The official MotoGP top speed record of 362.4km/h (225.2mph), first set by Johann Zarco at Qatar 2021, was equalled by Brad Binder at Mugello last season.

Test riders Michele Pirro (Ducati) and Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia) are making their latest wild-card appearances this weekend.

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2022 Italian Grand Prix – MotoGP schedule (UK Time):

Friday May 27

8.55am-9.40am – Free Practice 1

1.10pm-1.55pm – Free Practice 2

Saturday May 28

8.55am-9.40am – Free Practice 3

12.30pm-1pm – Free Practice 4

1.10pm-1.25pm – Qualifying 1

1.35pm-1.50pm – Qualifying 2

Sunday May 29

8.40am-9am – Warm-up

1pm – Race