Spaniard Jorge Martin took the best combined time of the two qualifying sessions for the Grand Prix of the Americas on Friday, ahead of Francesco Bagnaia.
Spaniard Jorge Martin took the best combined time of the two qualifying sessions for the Grand Prix of the Americas, the third round of the MotoGP season, on Friday, ahead of defending champion Francesco Bagnaia, 2nd, while Frenchman Johann Zarco, only 14th, will have to go through the qualifying repechage.
The other Frenchman on the grid, vice-champion Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), ranks 7th on the time sheet, behind in particular the Spaniard Alex Rins (Honda-LCR), 3rd fastest of the day and the only driver present this weekend to have already won in the premier category on the Texas track (in 2019).
Zarco in trouble
Earlier, the 2021 world champion had taken the 2nd fastest time in the first tests of the weekend, ahead of his compatriot Zarco (Ducati-Pramac), 3rd.
Friday evening, the latter, provisionally 3rd in the championship, fails in the cumulative time in 14th place, victim of a minor fall at the very end of the second session.
Like championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati-VR46), only 11th or 2020 world champion Joan Mir (Honda), 12th, the 32-year-old from Cannes finds himself in a complicated position.
Indeed, only the ten best combined times of these practice sessions qualify directly for the second and final part of qualifying (Q2), during which the first places on the starting grid of the sprint are decided on Saturday (10:00 p.m.). and the GP on Sunday (9:00 p.m.).
The others will have to go through a repechage (Q1) on Saturday from 5:50 p.m., of which the two fastest are drafted for Q2.
Among those absent from the weekend, the Spaniard Marc Marquez (Honda), six-time MotoGP world champion, does not participate in the Grand Prix after fracturing his hand during the first event of the season in Portugal. He is replaced by the German Stefan Bradl, 20th time Friday evening.
The Italian Michele Pirro (17th in qualifying) replaces at Ducati his compatriot Enea Bastianini, also injured, while the German Jonas Folger (22nd and last in practice) pilot in place of the Spaniard Pol Espargaro, still convalescing after his heavy fall in Portugal.
Combined classification of the two practice sessions of the GP of the Americas:
1. Jorge Martin (ESP/Ducati-Pramac) in 2:02.178
2. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA/Ducati) 0.063
3. Alex Rins (ESP/Honda-LCR) 0.217
4. Luca Marini (ITA/Ducati-VR46) 0.238
5. Alex Marquez (ESP/Ducati-Gresini) at 0.504
6. Maverick Vinales (ESP/Aprilia) at 0.539
7. Fabio Quartararo (FRA/Yamaha) at 0.543
8. Brad Binder (RSA/KTM) at 0.557
9. Aleix Espargaro (ESP/Aprilia) at 0.587
10. Jack Miller (AUS/KTM) 0.663
…
14. Johann Zarco (FRA/Ducati-Pramac) 1.151
