Valencia MotoGP, Ricardo Tormo – Saturday Practice Results

*Rookie.

Official Ricardo Tormo MotoGP records
Best lap: Jorge Lorenzo 1m 29.401s (2016)
Fastest race lap: Francesco Bagnaia 1m 31.042s (2021)

Marco Bezzecchi heads final practice for the Valencia season finale, which also saw a fightback from world championship leader Francesco Bagnaia.

A lowly 15th on Friday, Bagnaia had been confident of progress after losing half a second in just three corners.

The reigning champion was at the sharp end of the timesheets throughout the 30 minutes on his way to third behind Bezzecchi and Alex Marquez.

Title rival Jorge Martin, who played some mind games by following Bagnaia on Friday, was sixth, separated from Bagnaia by Marc Marquez and Fabio Quartararo.

Quartararo and Fabio di Giannantonio were both caught out by the cool conditions and fell at Turn 10.

Qualifying 1, which includes Bagnaia and Quartararo, will now get underway.

Joan Mir, who underwent checks in hospital after a Friday morning fall, has withdrawn from the remainder of the weekend.

• Valencia Moto2: Latest Results
• Valencia Moto3: Latest Results

Francesco Bagnaia takes a 21-point lead into the Valencia title decider after a runner-up finish to Fabio di Giannantonio in Qatar was combined with tenth place after tyre woes for Jorge Martin.

Reigning champion Bagnaia thus has two chances to secure another title this weekend, starting with the Saturday Sprint, where he will be crowned if he can extend his lead to 25 points.

But with Martin winning 6 of the last 7 Sprints (and 2nd to Alex Marquez in the other) that looks like a tall order and the world championship is unlikely to be decided until the final lap of the season on Sunday.

…Or perhaps even several hours afterwards, depending on the effect of any post-race penalties for low tyre pressure.

Bagnaia and Martin are among 15 full-time riders to have now received an Official Warning for low tyre pressure. A further breach would result in a 3-second time penalty, or 6-seconds for Aleix Espargaro, who has offended twice.

The only riders yet to use their low-pressure warning ‘joker’ are Fabio Quartararo, Takaaki Nakagami, Brad Binder, Joan Mir and Fabio di Giannantonio, plus the returning Alex Rins and absent (through injury) Miguel Oliveira.

The Valencia circuit, which will host a post-season test next Tuesday, has been resurfaced ahead of the 2023 event.

Among the riders saying farewell to their current teams this weekend are Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), Franco Morbidelli (Monster Yamaha), Johann Zarco (Pramac Ducati), Fabio di Giannantonio (Gresini Ducati) and Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Tech3). Luca Marini is also expected to leave VR46 to replace Marquez but no announcement has yet been made.

Reigning Moto2 champion Pedro Acosta will make his MotoGP debut, with GASGAS Tech3, at next week’s Valencia test.