San Marino MotoGP, Misano – Free Practice (1) Results

 

* Rookie

Official Misano MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1m 31.065s (2021)
Fastest race lap:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1m 32.171s (2021)

Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo gets the better of home manufacturers Ducati and Aprilia during opening practice for the 2022 San Marino MotoGP at Misano.

The reigning champion and current title leader held off the Ducatis of Jack Miller and wild-card Michele Pirro, with Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales in fourth and fifth for Aprilia.

Francesco Bagnaia, chasing a fourth win in a row this weekend, was sixth, followed by 2023 factory team-mate Enea Bastianini (Gresini).

The #63 then accidentally held up Alex Marquez when he slowed down at the end of the session, with the incident ‘currently under investigation’.

Incident under investigation

Stewards will be looking at this moment between @PeccoBagnaia and @alexmarquez73 #SanMarinoGP Gr4rSU46YC

— MotoGP (@MotoGP) September 2, 2022

Suzuki’s Alex Rins was the next best Japanese bike after Quartararo, in eighth.

Luca Marini (VR46 Ducati) and Johann Zarco (Pramac Ducati) completed a top ten covered by 0.686s.

Andrea Dovizioso began his final MotoGP weekend in 16th place for RNF Yamaha.

Kazuki Watanabe, making his MotoGP debut in place of the injured Joan Mir at Suzuki, was 4.981s behind Quartararo, putting him just outside of the 105% time.

With rain a threat for Saturday and Sunday, Friday afternoon’s FP2 could decide the top ten for direct access to Qualifying 2.

Francesco Bagnaia arrives at his and Ducati’s home round on the crest of a wave after victories in the last three races.

That perfect run not only put Bagnaia into an elite group of three-in-a-row winners alongside Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez, but transformed his title chances.

91 points adrift before the win streak began, Bagnaia is now 44 from Yamaha’s reigning champion Fabio Quartararo and just 12 behind Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro.

Bagnaia is also the only one of that trio to have taken a prior Misano victory , in 2021, plus another podium in 2020, but he also fell from the lead of two other home races.

Last year’s late mistake not only confirmed Quartararo as world champion, but gave Marc Marquez what remains his and Honda’s most recent MotoGP victory.

The Spanish star won’t be present this weekend as he continues to recover from the fourth operation on his right arm, but Marquez made his two-wheeled return on a CBR600 at Aragon on Wednesday and HRC are hoping Marquez will be fit to make a comeback at next week’s post-race test.

Meanwhile, Misano will be the final MotoGP event for Andrea Dovizioso, Marquez’s main title rival from 2017-2019, who has decided to call an early end to a difficult season at RNF Yamaha with a farewell in front of his home fans.

The 36-year-old made his grand prix debut as a 125cc wild-card back in 2001 and has gone on to take 24 victories and 103 podiums. 15 wins and 62 podiums were in the premier-class, where he raced for Honda, Ducati and Yamaha.

Dovizioso will be replaced by Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow for the final six rounds.

Making his very first MotoGP start this weekend, providing he meets the 105% rule, will be 31-year-old Japanese Superbike rider Kazuki Watanabe, who has been called up by Suzuki to replace the injured Joan Mir.

Friday September 2

8am – Moto3 FP1

8.55am – MotoGP FP1

9.55am – Moto2 FP1

12.15am – Moto3 FP2

1.10pm – MotoGP FP2

2.10pm – Moto2 FP2

Saturday September 3

8am – Moto3 FP3

8.55am – MotoGP FP3

9.55am – Moto2 FP3

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 4

8am – Moto3 warm-up

8.20am – Moto2 warm-up

8.40am – MotoGP warm-up

10am – Moto3 race

11.20am – Moto2 race

1pm – MotoGP race