Malaysian MotoGP, Sepang – Full Qualifying Results

Jorge Martin took pole position for the 2022 Malaysian MotoGP with a new lap record at Sepang, as a day of drama for the world championship battle ended with another fall for Bagnaia, Aleix Espargaro also on the ground and the injured Fabio Quartararo 12th and last in Qualifying 2.

Bagnaia was on course for pole when he fell at Turn 4 in the closing minutes, leaving him ninth on the grid, with Aprilia’s Espargaro sliding off at Turn 8 – the same corner that caught out Bagnaia and Quartararo earlier today – and dropping to tenth, while Quartararo saved a scare during his worst qualifying of the year.

Riding with bandages on his left middle finger after the final pratice fall, for which he will need further medical checks, Quartararo had billed today’s session as his most important of the year so far as he tries to close a 14-point gap to Bagnaia.

Bagnaia, who can win Ducati’s first MotoGP title since 2007 on Sunday, was forced to take part in Q1 after a dramatic end to FP3, where he was held up by Franco Morbidelli, fell as the rain flags were waved and was then pushed out of the top ten by none other than Morbidelli, who exactly matched Bagnaia’s best time on his final lap (but had a better next-best time).

But the factory Ducati star confidently led Qualifying 1 and was joined by Marc Marquez in progressing to Q2, while Bagnaia’s team-mate Jack Miller suffered a nasty highside,

Morbidelli was later given a double long-lap penalty to serve in Sunday’s race for disturbing Bagnaia and Marc Marquez in FP3: “This is now the third time this season you have been observed riding slow on line and disturbing other riders,” read a statement from the FIM MotoGP Stewards.

Pol Espargaro will have a three-place grid penalty for ‘re-joining the track unsafely and creating a dangerous situation for another rider’ (Johann Zarco) in FP1.

• Malaysian Moto2 Grand Prix, Sepang – Qualifying Results
• Malaysian Moto3 Grand Prix, Sepang – Qualifying Results
• What result does Francesco Bagnaia need to be MotoGP champion at Sepang?

After more title twists in Phillip Island, Francesco Bagnaia not only leads the MotoGP standings for the first time but can be crowned champion this weekend.

A 14-point advantage over Fabio Quartararo and 27-point lead over Aleix Espargaro means Bagnaia will become Ducati’s first champion since Casey Stoner if he scores at least 11 points more than Quartararo on Sunday and loses no more than 2 points to Espargaro.

That means Bagnaia must at least finish in the top five, which would also automatically rule Enea Bastianini (42 points behind and the final rider still in mathematical contention) out of the championship fight with only the Valencia finale to go.

Takaaki Nakagami is again absent due to hand injuries from Aragon and is replaced at LCR by Honda test rider Tetsuta Nagashima.

Covid restrictions forced the cancellation of the Malaysian MotoGP in 2020 and 2021, meaning ten of the full-time riders have no premier-class race experience at Sepang: Brad Binder, Alex Marquez, Jorge Martin, Enea Bastianini and Luca Marini, plus this year’s rookies Marco Bezzecchi, Fabio di Giannantonio, Darryn Binder, Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez.

However, all riders and teams took part in official pre-season testing at the track in February.

Friday October 21

2am – Moto3 FP1

2.55am – Moto2 FP1

3.50am – MotoGP FP1

6.15am – Moto3 FP2

7.10am – Moto2 FP2

8.05am – MotoGP FP2

Saturday October 22

2am – Moto3 FP3

2.55am – Moto2 FP3

3.50am – MotoGP FP3

5.35am – Moto3 Q1

6am – Moto3 Q2

6.30am – Moto2 Q1

6.55am – Moto2 Q2

7.25am – MotoGP FP4

8.05am – MotoGP Q1

8.30am – MotoGP Q2

Sunday October 23

3am – Moto3 warm-up

3.20am – Moto2 warm-up

3.40am – MotoGP warm-up

5am – Moto3 race

6.20am – Moto2 race

8am – MotoGP race