More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Martin denies Marquez with a new all-time record
Just 0.013 separate the two, with Bagnaia, Aleix Espargaro and Quartararo for close company as Bastianini misses the cut for Q2
Saturday, 15 October 2022
Since 2013, MotoGP™ Legend Jorge Lorenzo has been the fastest rider ever to lap Phillip Island, but no more. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) is the new all-time lap record holder at the Australian track, and by a mere smidge as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) missed out by just 0.013. The number 93 also had a helping tow from Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) as the two lapped in tandem, with Pecco just pipped to it but still completing the front row.
Martin had been on the pace as soon as Q2 started, punching out a 1:28.112 out the gate – the fastest lap of the weekend to that point. He would hold onto that honour for just a lap as Bagnaia clocked a 1:28.054 next time through, and they were the top two at the end of the opening runs, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) third on a 1:28.174. Marc Marquez sat fifth on a 1:28.313, having been forced into one of his trademark front-end saves exiting ‘MG’ on his second flying lap which saw him veer onto the grass.
With the second runs on in earnest, Johann Zarco jumped to the top with a 1:28.007 before Martin made it a Prima Pramac Racing one-two with the first lap of Phillip Island that was quicker than Lorenzo’s 1:27.899 in 2013.
Marquez then tagged on behind Bagnaia for the final few minutes of the session, and with the chequered flag about to come out, the number 63 moved up to second on a 1:27.953 but was beaten almost immediately by the Honda rider in his slipstream, who set a 1:27.780. That made for a top four of Martin, Marc Marquez, Bagnaia, and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), with Quartararo edging back up to fifth thanks to a 1:27.973 on his final lap.
When all’s said and done, Bagnaia is the first of the title contenders as a few stack up from third back, with Aleix Espargaro heading Row 2 in fourth and Championship leader Quartararo right alongside. Quartararo was the final rider in the 1:27s, with Zarco just into the 1:28 bracket. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) slots into seventh.
It was a tougher session for Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) as he’ll start eighth – although he did win from seventh at Motegi. For fellow challenger Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) it was an even tougher one, however, as the number 23 was in Q1 and then failed to make the cut – after also getting held up by Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). The Portuguese rider did a practice start too early and then was slow on the line, gaining a three-place grid penalty and a Long Lap.
Zarco was the quickest in Q1 and moved through alongside Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) as the two pipped Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) late in the session. The latter duo therefore line up P13 and P14.
Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) starts ninth as he joins Marini and Miller on an all-Ducati Row 3, with Rins forced to settle for tenth ahead of automatic Q2 graduate Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol).
Qualifying didn’t go to plan for Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and he’ll start P12. After topping the timesheets in FP4, ‘Top Gun’ will certainly be ready to move forward on race day.
With five riders in 40 points, there’s more and more at stake as the time to make a comeback gets shorter and shorter. Just three races now remain, and the first of those is sure to be a stunner as Phillip Island hosts for the first time since 2019. Make sure to tune in at 14:00 (GMT +11) to see who can tame the Island!
MotoGP™: TOP THREE
1 Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – 1’27.767
2 Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) – Honda – +0.013
3 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.186
Jorge Martin: “For sure, Lorenzo won’t be super-happy today now, but for sure, it’s time to beat those records because the bikes are much faster now. Yesterday, I was a bit lost because this track is so fast – it’s my first time here so I had to take the measurements – but finally today, I had good pace. I feel strong for the race also, and for time attack, I thought I could also be competitive – not that much, for sure. Making a 27, it’s amazing, but I’m feeling good and I think we can fight to the end tomorrow.”
Phillip Island names Turn 4 Miller Corner
In a ceremony on Saturday, Turn 4 of Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit was officially named ‘Miller Corner’. The Thriller and home hero himself, Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), was of course in attendance, along with his parents and wife, Ruby.
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, Dorna Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta and IRTA CEO Mike Trimby joined the ceremony to congratulate the Australian, and another home hero was on hand in MotoGP™ Legend Mick Doohan. Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit owner Andrew Fox presented Miller with the plaque, alongside Australian Grand Prix Commission CEO Andrew Westacott.
The lap at Phillip Island now starts down the Gardner Straight, heads through Doohan, tackles the Southern Loop and then slides through Stoner before arriving into Miller.
Aldeguer heads Fernandez with new lap record, Ogura 13th
The Boscocuro rider pips the Championship leader by just 0.073, with Lopez completing the front row
Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) set a stunning new lap record at Phillip Island on Saturday as a 1:32.233 puts him on pole for the Animoca Brands Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. Championship leader Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) missed out by just 0.073, with Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) in third making it both Boscoscuros on the front row.
Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), who trails Fernandez by just 1.5 points in the Championship, has qualified 13th after a tougher weekend so far, although the Japanese rider won from the same position at Motegi.
Buriram winner Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) heads the second row ahead of Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40), with Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) in sixth.
Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp) is an impressive seventh on an all-rookie Row 3, with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP) alongside.
The remaining riders between Fernandez and Ogura are Filip Salač (Gresini Racing Moto2™), in 10th fresh from his first intermediate class podium, Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) in a solid P11 and Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) in P12. Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) is just behind Ogura, in P14 after a tougher Saturday.
After 17 races in the intermediate class, just 1.5 points separate Fernandez and Ogura with three rounds remaining. Another 25 are up for grabs on Sunday, so tune in from 12:20 (GMT +11) to see another chapter of incredible Moto2™ competition.
Moto2™ FRONT ROW
1 Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools Speed Up) – Boscoscuro – 1’32.233
2 Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – +0.073
3 Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools Speed Up) – Boscoscuro – +0.310
Fermin Aldeguer: “I’m so happy with my whole qualifying, because I pushed so much. It was a very good lap all the way round and I made the pole position, so it’s incredible to be here. Thank you to my team for their support in all the past races and my family and all the sponsors.”
Sasaki slams in new lap record for pole, Guevara seventh
Sasaki and Garcia end qualifying over half a second clear as Guevara lines up on Row 3 and Foggia Row 4
Another week, another new lap record! This time it’s Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) as the number 71 backed up his fastest lap on Friday with the fastest lap of Phillip Island ever, taking pole by nearly two tenths and putting in the only 1:35. Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) is the only other rider in Sasaki’s postcode, and he has a half-second gap behind him back to Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) as the rookie completes the front row.
Championship leader Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) heads up Row 3 in seventh place, giving him a reasonable launch position ahead of his first match point in the fight for the crown. He has an advantage of 49 points and needs more than 50 by the flag on Sunday to secure the Championship. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), now his closest challenger, lines up in P12 on Row 4 – his equal worst result of the season as he failed to improve late on.
Row 2 is Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP), Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team). Between Guevara in seventh and Foggia in 12th are Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) – for whom it’s a best ever qualifying – and David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports). In the session, one dash of spice saw Muñoz get a behaviour warning for getting a little close to Masia, too.
The first Championship of the season is on the line on Sunday, and the grid sets us up for a stunner. Tune in for Guevara’s first match point at 11:00 (GMT +11)!
Moto3™ FRONT ROW
1 Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) – Husqvarna – 1’35.854
2 Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – +0.187
3 Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) – Husqvarna – +0.725
Ayumu Sasaki: “Well, before qualifying, I knew that it’s going to be a group, as always, in Moto3™. So, my target was to put a new tyre on at the beginning and try to make a lap time. I went out quite far from the group, but I guess that group was slowing down in our out laps, so I could catch them perfectly in two laps, so that helped me a lot as well. But, a good two laps, I felt good on the bike, and after that, I thought there was no point using another tyre. I wanted to keep it for tomorrow. So, that was the plan, and I had good enough laps, so it went as a plan and it was good lap.
“As you can see, the last three races have been very good for me; we have consistency. I came here, the bike was working very well admittedly, so I didn’t change the set-up so much as well. I just felt good on the bike. Here, it’s always a big group in the race, but this year, top riders in Moto3™ seem to be at a higher level than the rest, so that’s why you can see may times this year that if someone gets to the front, we can separate the group. Here, I feel like I have the pace to pull the group, so that’s my plan. Last race, it was Foggia and we can see four or five riders every time that are competitive, can pull from the group, and I guess that I have the chance to do that, so hopefully we can make it a small group and fight for the win.”
