Italian Francesco Bagnaia, second in the MotoGP world championship, will start from pole position for the sprint race on Saturday and the San Marino Grand Prix, round 13 of the MotoGP world championship on Sunday, after setting the fastest time in qualifying.
On the Italian circuit of Misano – and in the heat – the reigning champion recovered the circuit lap record in the process.
“The pace was super good, the feeling on the bike was great even if physically I’m not yet at 100% of my abilities,” he reacted, a few moments after taking his second pole of the season.
Bagnaia, who is still recovering from his crash in the Aragon GP last Sunday, will start ahead of two of his compatriots – Franco Morbidelli (Ducati-Pramac) and Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati-VR46) – on the starting grid for the sprint race at 15:00 on Saturday, and on the starting grid for the GP race on Sunday (14:00).
Championship leader Jorge Martin (Ducati-Pramac) will start 4th, ahead of his Spanish compatriot Pedro Acosta (GasGas-Tech3), 5th.
Overall, 23 points separate Bagnaia from leader Martin (299 points against 276). With 37 points to distribute this weekend, Bagnaia, riding his factory Ducati, can mathematically overtake Martin who rides for the satellite team of the Italian firm.
Third in the championship, star Marc Marquez, winner last weekend in Aragon of his first GP since 2021, is 47 points behind the Italian champion (the gap rises to 70 points with Martin).
The Spaniard, who rides for Ducati-Gresini, will start from ninth on the grid this weekend. He crashed with less than four minutes to go in qualifying, ending his chances of fighting for pole position.
Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) will start 10th, his best qualifying result since the French GP in May.
Riding his modest Honda-LCR, the other Frenchman competing in MotoGP, Johann Zarco, will start from a distant 16th place.
hdy/vol
Related News :