News 15 Oct 2022

Marquez concludes third practice at Phillip Island fastest

Every rider goes quicker in thrilling MotoGP morning session.

Image: Supplied.

Eight-time world champion Marc Marquez concluded this morning’s free practice three fastest at Phillip Island as Jack Miller showed a strong improvement from yesterday to finish P6.

The final eight minutes of the session saw the leaderboard light up, as riders used the soft option rear for a time attack in a bid to secure a top 10 position and directly transfer to qualifying two.

In the dying moments of the session, Marquez notched a 1.28.462s to finish 0.130s ahead of Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Jorge Martin posted who his best time relatively early compared to the other riders (Prima Pramac Racing).

Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) importantly elevated to fourth with a final lap effort, ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team).

P7 was Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Idemitsu), leading Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) and Fabio Quartararo who just scraped through to an automatic Q2 transfer in 10th.

Notably, yesterday’s pace-setter Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) completed the session 11th and will have to go through Q1 as every rider in the premier class improved their time from yesterday. Tech3 KTM Factory Racing’s Remy Gardner concluded the session in P22 with a 1m29.691s.

Times dropped immensely in Moto3 FP3 this morning as Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) remained at forefront of the field, lowering yesterday’s benchmark by over a 1.5s with a 1m36.112s – less than a tenth from Alex Marquez’s all-time lap record set in 2014.

Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GasGas Aspar Team) finished P2, 0.348s back as Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) recovered from a high speed crash yesterday to complete the top three.

Championship leader Izan Guevara (Gaviota GasGas Aspar) ended the morning P9, as Australian Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power) crucially scored a direct spot into qualifying two in 13th with a 1m37.316s.

In Moto2, Beta Tools Speed Up’s Alonso Lopez came out guns-blazing in FP3 and posted a blistering 1m32.616s in the early stages, leading teammate Fermin Aldeguer and championship leader Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo).

Title contender Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) made a step forward from yesterday but still remains outside of the top 10, posting a 1m33.683s for P11 this morning.

 

Detailed results



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