Márquez offers himself the Le Mans record in front of Quartararo!

After the passage of a slight rain above the Bugatti circuit, the sun resumed its rights and the conditions proved to be mild for the second MotoGP session. The thermometer displayed 20 ° C at the start of this driving hour, with 29 ° C on the ground, enough to push most of the pilots to go to a hard gum at the front of their machine.

The situation of Friday afternoon is clear: preparing the races, which will take place on Saturday (in sprint format) and Sunday (the main race) at the same schedule, but also win a direct qualification in Q2. This reward goes to the ten fastest drivers of this one hour session and it guarantees, at least, a place in the first four lines of the starting grid.

From the start of the session, the Yamaha of Jack Miller and Fabio Quartararo made an appearance at the top of the ranking. The Frenchman has notably posted the first time in the afternoon in 1’30, obtained for three small thousandths.

After dominating the morning session, Marc Márquez (Ducati) appeared particularly discreet during the first part of these tests. The Spaniard, which uses a new chassis on its Ducati, was even out of the top 10 during the first 25 minutes … before propeling itself directly at the top of the classification!

After a first tour of attack completed in 1’30 “886, the pilot at number 93 quickly improved the reference to reach 1’30” 530, better than what he had done this morning. Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati) then Álex Márquez (Gresini Racing) went into between Quartararo and Miller. Then, shortly after mid-session, Maverick Viñales (Tech3) positioned himself in the second row, but with a still delay on the leader (0 “439).

Most of this session will have been a studious preparation of the races, with few shots. It is just one can mention a fall from Ai Ogura to the museum, shortly before mid-session, leaving once again an aprilia of the Trackhouse Racing team in pitiful condition after the accident of his teammate Raúl Fernández this morning.

Luca Marini, whose Honda factory handlebars is threatened by Johann Zarco, kicked off the Time Attack phase from 12th to fourth place. His teammate Joan Mir was less loti because he went to bite the dust in connection, which earned him a return to the stands in the form of a jogging.

The KTMs have in turn spent in Time Attack mode. Pedro Acosta went third while Viñales made the time tremble: the Tech3 pilot has considerably reduced its delay on Márquez, to position itself at 41 thousandths, then to five tiny thousandths. Viñales tried to continue his effort but it ended in a fall on the oxen path, a very rare error for him this season.

At the same time, many others displayed their best partials around the track. Fermín Aldeguer (Gresini Racing) rose to third row, soon replaced by his teammate, Álex Márquez, then by Pecco Bagnaia.

Quartararo is briefly ironed in mind but without being able to resist the improvement of Marc Márquez, the first timed in 1’29 this weekend. No need to wait for the qualifications, this time of 1’29 “855 is already breaking the absolute record of the Bugatti circuit! This wave of attacks had also brought Johann Zarco (LCR Honda) into the top 10 and brought back Marini to 12th.

Quartararo still occupied second place three minutes from the checkered flag, however Bagnaia, then Aldeguer momentarily made it go back. Among the most incisive, we still found Álex Márquez, Miller or Acosta, without however managing to mingle with this struggle.

For Zarco, hopes of direct accession to Q2 gave themselves up with a fall, once again occurred on the oxen path. It didn’t take long to see the French come out of the helpless top 10, with an improvement signed Marini.

Quartararo 2e, Zarco off the top 10

It was much better, however, for Quartararo, who managed to get the second end, at 0 “177 of the record signed Márquez. In the final classification, the Yamaha pilot is ahead of the Ducati of Bagnaia, Aldeguer and álex Márquez. Franco Morbidelli (VR46 Racing Team) is the last representative of the Italian manufacturer to be assured of a direct passage in Q2, Mixed with another Yamaha, that of Jack Miller, two KTMs piloted by Viñales and Acosta, and the aprilia of Marco Bezzecchi.

The latter finally brought Marini out of the top 10. The HRC driver will be left for a visit by the Q1 on Saturday morning, as well as Zarco, Enea Bastianini (Tech3), Mir, Ogura or Brad Binder. The KTM pilot is relegated very far in the standings and was the victim of a falling fall at the end of the session.

We will find the MotoGP pilots on the track on Saturday morning for the last free tests, immediately followed by the qualifications. Then, at 3 p.m., go to the first weekend race in the form of a 13-laps sprint.

GP from France MotoGP – Tests