Recapping the opening day of MotoGP/2/3 practice in Qatar

MotoGP 2023

Round 19 – Qatar Grand Prix
MotoGP Friday Practice Report

Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team) enjoyed a dream Friday Practice session at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, not only bagging himself a spot in Q2 but ending Friday fastest of the bunch. It was as close as ever though, with just 0.049s back to first on the chase Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP) as the Italian looked strong from the off. The gap back to third fastest Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) is even smaller too, just 0.044.

Title contenders Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), meanwhile, ended the day in P7 and P8. Split by just 14 points in the duel for the Championship, it’s even closer out on the circuit so far this weekend as the duo were just 0.007s apart.

There were Q2 spots up for grabs in Practice as the riders hit the circuit for a full hour of track time around the Lusail International Circuit. Bagnaia and Martin weren’t having it all their own way either, and as we headed into the closing stages, both riders needed to find time despite having ended FP1 higher up the order, with Martin fastest and Bagnaia third, two tenths back.

As always once the final few minutes were underway in the afternoon, red sectors came flying in. And it was Raul Fernandez who went top, beating Viñales’ benchmark. Martin pulled a lap time out of the bag to propel himself into the top 10, as did Bagnaia, but yellow flags then caught out several riders as Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) crashed unhurt at the final corner while on a time that looked certain to take him into the top 10. In the end, despite some late improvers, Martin and Bagnaia secured crucial top 10s.

Raul Fernandez – P1

“The feeling that I had today was like in the past where I’ve made a comeback. This result is definitely something that helps me and the team. But we have to keep working, tomorrow will be a completely different day. We have to stay calm and to work like how we do always, don’t think about the results and try to continue just feeling good like today. For me, the important thing is to continue to enjoy riding the bike. If we keep our performance like this, the results will come.”

It’s tight at the top as Fabio Di Giannantonio ended up a somewhat fitting 0.049 off Raul Fernandez, with that 0.044 back to Viñales becoming an even smaller 0.019 to Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in fourth.

Fabio Di Giannantonio – P2

“We did a good job, whie trying to focus on improving the front-end feeling. We need to keep working well and analyse all the tyre options in order to make the best decision for tomorrow’s sprint race and Sunday’s full encounter. We need to decide on whether to gamble on durability or speed. We were quick all day long, but we need to keep working tonight ahead of tomorrow’s sessions. The track is great, maybe the one that has improved the most from previous editions: there’s a lot of grip so it’ll be crucial to know how to play with the tyres.”

Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) rounds out the top five as Aprilia came out swinging, only another 0.078 in arrears, with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) putting in a very late run to grab P6.

Luca Marini – P6

“We hit our target, it wasn’t an easy day because we had so many tires to test and it was important to take the right direction. I’m satisfied, I think I’ve understood in which direction to go even if tomorrow I’ll have to work to find a better compromise on the front tire consumption. It will be important not to stress the compound and be smooth in riding especially on the right side. In the free practices we will try something more, then with the higher temperatures, the hard front seems to be the best solution. For the night session, however, the soft, which generally has limit, is perhaps preferable. Let’s sort out the final details and give our best in qualifying and get closer to the podium.”

From there it’s the only gap in the top ten bigger than a tenth down to Martin, that 0.007 back to Bagnaia followed by Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3).

Francesco Bagnaia – P8

“I am satisfied with today because being in the top 10 is always the objective and I feel great with my bike. For tomorrow we must still understand something for the front tyre because it looks like the critical side of this weekend. But I think the tarmac grip will improve a lot and it will be better for sure. It was quite difficult to work today because of the track condition, but honestly, I felt great from when I started, we managed to be competitive also with used tyres this morning and this afternoon also I tried different tyres, and the bike was working every time very well. We have the potential to fight for the pole position, but it will be very important to start from the front row.”

Augusto Fernandez – P9

“I am happy with our final result even though we struggled a lot with the rear tyre during the first half of Practice. As soon as we pointed out the issue, the feeling was back after a positive FP1 this morning, so we were able to ride a great lap at the end of Practice after I found Jorge Martin’s wheel. I tried to stay behind him, and it worked out well for us. We need to continue with the work, improve a bit more the race pace, and try doing a great time attack in qualifying.”

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) had a solid day on the timesheets and stole a tow from Bagnaia to round out the top 10, too, denying Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) a place in Q2 by just 0.014.

Marc Marquez – P10

“It was a better day than we were expecting when we arrived here. To be inside the top ten and into Q2 straight away is really good news for us in the garage. I was able to find a good lap time behind Pecco because that’s how we have to do it. Tomorrow we will try to keep this position and understand how the track evolves before and during the Sprint. We need to look at what the best tyre will be for the time attack and keep adapting as the track changes. For the moment we can be content with what we have done.”

There are some heavy hitters set for battle in Q1 on Saturday. Miller will be joined by the Sprint victor and podium finisher from last weekend Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) as well as Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) – among others.

Alex Marquez – P12

“The yellow flag situations were like a sentence… especially at the last corner when you get them after pushing hard for the whole lap. We could have comfortably been in Q2, likely lapping in 1’52.9secs, but flags sometimes helps and other times don’t… The track changed a lot from the morning, we worked on the set-up and I’m quite happy. The goal tomorrow is to get into Q2.”

Pol Espargaro – P14

“I am disappointed with today because I felt that I had a good speed, but we encountered too many problems in Practice: a braking issue forcing me to stop in the middle of the pit lane, then something went on with the dashboard and I could not see everything that I needed, so I was riding blind. I kept pushing when I actually did not need to, and I lost the front in the last corner. This is a shame because we could have been in Q2.“

Marco Bezzecchi – P15

“This morning I struggled a lot, while this afternoon I made a good step forward. It’s a shame about my fast lap, it would have been enough for qualification, but I found the yellow flags in the last sector. My second fastest lap wasn’t bad, but too slower to be enough for qualifying. It’s a shame, tomorrow we’ll try to work in the last free practice sessions and then give our all in Q1. I’m struggling with the tire consumption, but I think everyone is in the same situation. Let’s go back to the data for being competitive in the Sprint.”

Fabio Quartararo – P21

“We were not lucky with the yellow flags, but we also tried something on the first time attack that went wrong. Our lap time looks really bad in the classifications, but I think that tomorrow we will have the potential to make a great lap time. Hopefully we can get into Q2. It‘s not going to be easy, Q1 is always like a jungle. We aim to make another step. Our pace is not that bad, so I think we have great potential.”

MotoGP Friday Afternoon Practice Results

MotoGP FP1 Results

MotoGP Championship Points

Moto2

Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) is the rider to beat after the opening day of the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar. The Boscosuro rider’s 1:58.059, a new all-time lap record, came in the late stages of Practice 2 to deny Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) Day 1 honours by 0.104s. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) enjoyed a positive Friday too, rounding out the top three.

Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) made a big improvement in P2 to move up to fourth place ahead of Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) who lit up the timing screens to eventually finish in 5th. Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Mastercamp) was looking very strong in P1 as he took well to the Lusail International Circuit, and the Spaniard finished the day in P6 ahead of Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia).

It was a quiet day for Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who, despite looking there or thereabouts in Practice 1, could only manage 8th place overall on the combined timings. The World Champion finished just ahead of Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), the latter rounding out the top 10.

Moto2 Friday Practice Results (Combined)

Moto2 Championship Points

Moto3

Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) has shown superb speed on the opening day of the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar. The Spaniard topped the timesheets with his 2:06.794 seeing him sit half a second clear of the rest of the field, and over a second quicker than his closest title rival Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP).

Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team) found form in Practice 2 and was the closest to Masia in second, and despite a late-session trip to the gravel trap, Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) rounded out the top three on his first-ever visit to the Lusail International Circuit.

Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) missed out on the top three by 0.009s as he took P4. Next up behind the Spaniard was Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers Team) who rounded out the top five ahead of Xavier Artigas (CFMOTO Racing PrüstelGP) and David Alonso (Gaviota ASGAS Aspar Team), the latter taking an early-session tumble.

Sasaki had a tougher Friday in Qatar and has work to do to on Saturday. The Japanese rider managed to salvage P8, as Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) completed Friday’s lightweight class top 10.

Joel Kelso was 19th on Friday.

Moto3 Friday Practice Results (Combined)

Moto3 Championship Points

Qatar Grand Prix Schedule
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2023 MotoGP Calendar