This qualifying session starts with a big attack from Fabio Quartararo: the Yamaha official is incisive, ready to take all the risks to close the 17 km/h gap with the Ducati like this morning in FP3 (333 against 350 km/h !). But the Frenchman asks too much of his Yamaha and goes to the mat in turn 19…
- GP of the Americas:
- MNC presentation:
The defending champion immediately got up to run behind a track marshal in PW to join his box! During this time, Jack Miller occupied the outposts in front of Bagnaia and Martin, while the very consistent Enea Bastianini fell in turn without gravity.
The champ is down!
The clock is ticking for @FabioQ20! #AmericasGP | #GP500 pic.twitter.com/xsGWg4AGGB
— MotoGP (@MotoGP) April 9, 2022
“El Diablo” returns to his box 4:50 from the checkered flag, gets on his second motorcycle and leaves with a knife between his teeth. The n°20 is then 7th ahead of Marini, Espargaro (Pol) and Zarco. Bagnaia then took provisional pole from his teammate two minutes from the end. But Miller replied: the Aussie clocked an excellent 2’02.042 on his last lap!
Except that Jorge Martin did a little better (-0.03 sec!) so the checkered flag came out: the young Pramac rider descended in 2’02.039 on his Ducati, a new absolute record instead of the previous reference of Marc Marquez in 2’02.135. The record of the “sheriff of Austin” held since 2015, all the same!
THE MARTINATOR DENIES THE THRILLER @88jorgemartin STEALS pole by 3 thousandths! #AmericasGP | #GP500 pic.twitter.com/72z2rNR4np
— MotoGP (@MotoGP) April 9, 2022
The Honda official seems at this stage incapable of repeating such a performance: the Honda official may put his heart into it, his pace is far from his usual supremacy in Austin. The n°93 qualified in 9th place in 2’03.0380, almost a second behind the leader (!), he who has seven successes in eight editions in Texas…
Would Marquez save himself wisely for the race, knowing that his last crash in Indonesia earned him two blank results and a worrying new episode of diplopia? Perhaps… MNC nevertheless notes that the former boss of MotoGP is not totally relaxed on his RC213V, his tense upper body testifies to this: it is not his usual “all-on-the-ground” engaged posture.
Ducati, on the other hand, is perfectly comfortable in Austin with five Desmosedici in the top five: “Martinator” will jump off the pole ahead of Miller, Bagnaia, Zarco and Bastianini. Fabio Quartararo, 6th, puts a touch of blue in this Red domination: let’s hope that the Frenchman manages to take the Ducati speed tomorrow.
The start of the MotoGP race of the GP of the Americas is scheduled for tomorrow Sunday at 8:00 p.m. Paris time: stay tuned!
2022 Americas GP MotoGP starting grid
Circuit of the Americas (COTA)
- Absolute lap record: Marc Marquez (Honda) in 2015:
- Race lap record: Marc Marquez (Honda) in 2014:
- Best top speed: 352.9 km/h in 2021 (Ducati – Jack Miller)
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