Fabio Di Giannantonio won the FIM MotoGP World Championship race Sunday night at Lusail International Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Riding his Gresini Ducati Demosedici, the Italian won the 22-lap race by 2.734 seconds. It was Di Giannantonio’s career-first MotoGP race win.

Defending World Champion and current Championship point leader Francesco Bagnaia was the runner-up on his Lenovo Ducati, and Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati’s Luca Marini placed third.

Bagnaia’s only remaining challenger in the Championship, Jorge Martin, finished 10th. As a result, Bagnaia’s point lead increased from seven to 21 points over Martin with one round remaining and 37 points still up for grabs.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

#PECCOvsMARTIN: Bagnaia rolls the dice as Diggia takes stunning maiden win

The number 49 makes a little history to defeat the reigning Champion, but the 20-point haul for the #1 sees the lead increase to 21 points

Sunday, 19 November 2023

It was tense. It was awesome. And it was won in style – defeating the reigning Champion over 22 laps of the Lusail International Circuit. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) trailed Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) for much of the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, picked his moment, made a decisive move for the lead, and then kept it together to become a MotoGP™ race winner. And all that in the unbelievable context and tension of #PECCOvsMARTIN.

That context and tension was Bagnaia leading the way for much of the race and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) facing a comeback after a bad start, before then losing more positions too as he faded down to tenth. Bagnaia didn’t seem to know that either, as the #1 nearly opened the goal for himself as he tried to attack Diggia in return and sailed into the run off at Turn 1. With the gap behind enough for him to get back on track in second, it was a heart in mouth moment but only a moment.

Third went to Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) as the number 10 got his elbows out in the fight at the front and then found enough in the locker to hold off a charge from Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) over the final few laps. But let’s rewind.

As the lights went out, everything changed in an instant. Split by just 0.022 and one position on the grid, by the exit of Turn 1 Bagnaia had shot through to steal the holeshot from Marini as Martin suffered a difficult start and dropped back to eight, behind teammate Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing). Not long after that the team showed the Frenchman who was behind him too, and he either had a moment and dropped back or heeded a message and let Martin through. With the added complication of Viñales glued to the rear wheel of the number 89 and getting past as well.

Right at the front though, Bagnaia held firm with a few tenths in hand – ahead of quite a squabble too. Diggia got through on Marini and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) tried to follow suit, but had to wait a few corners before he got through. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) needed no invitation to slice past the number 10 either, before also attacking Alex Marquez. Unhindered by the battle, Bagnaia marched on. And so did Diggia – able to unleash his pace and start to reel in the Ducati Lenovo machine ahead.

Martin had his hands full too. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was right on his tail and Viñales right behind the number 93, with Zarco watching on and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) catching the group as well.

At the front, Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio still had Binder for company, but the gap would start to increase from there on out as the KTM was left to battle Alex Marquez and Marini instead. The gaps behind Martin, however, were even smaller as a queue was forming behind the number 89.

Viñales was the first mover in the group to get past Marc Marquez and then stalk Martin before making a move. Once past, the Aprilia was gone. The Repsol Honda then attacked and took over before heading wide, letting Martin and Quartararo back through. El Diablo wasted no time in then dispatching Martin, leaving Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) next up as the number 89 was down to eighth again. Miller was through with 10 to go, and next up was Zarco. What would the Frenchman do?

The battle for victory, however, was now a duel: Bagnaia vs Diggia. The laps ticked down and the gap went out to a few tenths then back down, but no move was made in a tense game of chess. Lap by lap, the two marched on round Lusail.

Plenty of moves were made in the podium fight though as Viñales arrived at Binder, Alex Marquez and Marini, with too many headlines to choose as the elbows came out.

By five to go, “Mapping 8” appeared on Diggia’s dashboard, before “0000000” appeared on his pit board. Everyone was left wondering what that exactly meant. Regardless, as Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) also made his way through on Martin, more points in the title fight were on the line at the front as Diggia decided to make his move.

It was a pretty perfect one at that, squeezing through at Turn 12. And Bagnaia tried to reply on the cutback but Diggia shut the door. From there they headed round the final sector and then corner before blasting onto the main straight, and then hearts went into mouths in the Ducati Lenovo box.

Bagnaia tucked in and gained down the straight before pulling out to try and take the lead back – and couldn’t get it stopped. He managed to pull up enough to avoid clattering into the Gresini and headed into the run off, then able to scrub off the speed and rejoin in second. Own goal avoided for the Championship leader, but that was that if Di Giannantonio could do three more clean laps of Lusail. And he could!

Crossing the line with 2.7 seconds in hand, the Italian becomes the eighth different winner of the season and takes an emotional maiden MotoGP™ victory. Bagnaia takes those 20 points to extend the gap to 21 over Martin, with the Spaniard crossing the line in tenth after a dramatic weekend of contact in the Tissot Sprint, a little glory and disappointment for both riders, everything on the line… and the title fight definitively to be decided in the final round.

Marini completed the podium as he pulled enough out late on to stay out of range of Viñales, with the Aprilia rider still charging up to fourth. Fifth went to Binder, ahead of Alex Marquez and Quartararo, who got extremely close to that fight in the final laps. Bastianini also charged up the order, setting a scorcher late on and finishing eighth ahead of Miller.

Behind Martin, a final frisson of stress hovered in the form of Marc Marquez over the final lap, but the number 93 couldn’t find a way through. Zarco, right behind both the number 93 and his own teammate Martin, tried a move though – and made some contact with Marquez, the Honda staying up but Zarco barely, dropping back a few seconds to take P12 only tenths ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) and Rookie of the Year Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) completed the points.

And so the curtain falls in Qatar for 2023, after a weekend of two halves for the title contenders and a little chapter of awesome history made for Di Giannantonio. Now, it’s truly all or nothing in Valencia. Bagnaia leads by 21 points. 37 more are on the table… and the gloves will be off. Join us for the Grand Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana next weekend – there will be fireworks!

Fermin Aldeguer won the Moto2 World Championship race Sunday at Lusail International Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Riding his Beta Tools SpeedUp machine, the Spaniard won the 18-lap race by 2.643 seconds. It was Aldeguer’s third straight race win and fourth in 2023.

Manuel Gonzalez, riding his Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Team Kalex, finished second by 0.009 second ahead of third-place Aron Canet on his Pons Wegow Los40 Kalex.

Pole-sitter Joe Roberts scored 11th on his Italtrans Racing Kalex, and Roberts’ fellow American Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK) crashed his Forward Team racebike and Did Not Finish (DNF).

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Hat-trick hero: Aldeguer shines brightest again in Qatar

Thailand, Malaysia, and now Qatar. It’s three wins in the last three races for Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) as the Spaniard lights up the Lusail International Circuit to bag another 25-point haul in 2023, as Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Team) and Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) finish just 0.009s apart in the battle for the podium – the former clinching a debut rostrum with P2.

Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) got a good launch from pole position to grab the holeshot ahead of Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) and Aldeguer, with Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) grabbing P4 from P6 on the grid. Canet went backwards at the start but a great recovery ride on Lap 1 saw the Spaniard climb back up to P2 by the time the field crossed the line for the first time.

At the start of Lap 2, Aldeguer was well wide going into Turn 1 – a mistake that saw the #54 drop to P9. Canet then pounced on Roberts for the lead on Lap 2, with Dixon passing Vietti for P3 on the same lap. The Italian then dropped behind Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) with 15 laps to go, as Aldeguer began to pick his way back through the pack.

With 12 laps left, the top nine were split by 1.9s. Vietti had slipped to P10, just ahead of World Champion Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) who were only two seconds adrift of P1 themselves. On Lap 7 of 18, Dixon made a move stick for P2 on Roberts and soon after, Aldeguer followed the #96 through – and then got the better of him.

Aldeguer then led with 10 to go and on Lap 8, the Spaniard slammed home a 1:57.725 – over half a second quicker than anyone else could muster up. A couple of laps later, Aldeguer was 1.1s up the road from Canet and Gonzalez, with Dixon dropping to just over a second away from the podium fight in P4.

A run of three 1:57.6s saw Aldeguer’s lead climb to two seconds despite the best efforts of Gonzalez, who had got the better of Canet for P2. A comfortable final couple of laps came for Aldeguer as Gonzalez and Canet went head-to-head for P2. It was Dixon vs Ogura for P4 as we enjoyed two great battles unfold, but for a third straight race it was all about Aldeguer – another stunning ride from the SpeedUp star as he hunts down P3 in the Championship heading to Valencia.

Canet was pipped to P2 by Gonzalez who celebrates a first podium in Moto2™, while Ogura’s last corner move on Dixon saw the Japanese rider claim P4 from P12 on the grid. Vietti claimed P6, 1.2s off Dixon, with Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Acosta completing the top eight. Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) and Arbolino rounded out the top 10.

Roberts slipped to P11 by the chequered flag as Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – who set the fastest lap of the race on the final lap – was left to rue a poor start to finish P12. Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing), Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), and Jeremy Alcoba (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) were the final points scorers in Qatar.

Three in a row for Aldeguer. Can anyone stop the Spaniard’s late-season charge in Valencia? We’re all set for a special season finale at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.

Jaume Masia won the Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Lusail International Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Riding his Leopard Racing Honda, Masia won the 16-lap race by a scant 0.068 second. It was Masia’s fourth win of the season and with it the 23-year-old Spaniard clinched the 2023 Moto3 World Championship.

Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team’s David Alonso was the runner-up, and Deniz Oncu finished 0.095 second behind Alonso in third on his Red Bull KTM Ajo machine.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

#MAS1A: Jaume Masia is the 2023 FIM Moto3™ World Champion!

The Leopard Racing rider wraps it up with a win at the Qatar GP

 
Sunday, 19 November 2023

It’s official: Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) is the 2023 Moto3™ World Champion! A victory in a tense Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar secured the Spaniard a maiden Grand Prix title, with the win at Lusail adding to three further victories across a season that has seen the Spaniard take 10 podiums so far and run at the front from the off.

Born in Algemesi, Valencia, Masia competed in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and for three seasons in what is now the JuniorGP™ paddock before making his Grand Prix debut in 2017. He then became a full time Grand Prix rider in 2018 and having finished 13th in his rookie campaign, came out of the blocks flying in 2019. A maiden victory arrived at the Argentina GP, which he then backed up with a P2 at the following race in America.

Two more wins were claimed by Masia in 2020 as he moved to Leopard Racing, before a switch to Red Bull KTM Ajo came for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. In his second KTM stint, Masia won three times in two seasons – finishing P4 and P6 in the overall standings – before then making a move back to Leopard Racing for 2023.

Three podiums in the first five outings was a good start to the year for the #5, but he had to wait until the Dutch GP to pocket a first win back in Leopard colours. Two no scores at Silverstone and the Red Bull Ring then put a significant dent into his title charge, but Masia responded superbly by finishing P2 in Barcelona, P2 in Misano, winning in India and then again in Japan. The title dream was back on track.

Three non-podium finishes in a row didn’t halt Masia’s charge to World Championship leader status either, and having finished P3 in Malaysia, his first match point arrived in Qatar. The showdown was tense. Fighting at the front and with some seriously close exchanges between him and key rival Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) throughout, it all went down to the final lap. But Masia was able to stay ahead and take that fourth win of the year, securing the crown with another 25-point haul.

Enhorabuena, Jaume!

#MAS1A IN STATS

Aged 23 years 19 days old on race day at the Qatar GP, Jaume Masia is the second-oldest rider to clinch the Moto3™ title after Albert Arenas (23 years and 347 days old in 2020). In addition, he is the first rider to clinch the title after having made more than 100 Moto3™ starts.

This is the sixth time that a Honda rider has won the Moto3™ title, adding to the Championships won by Alex Marquez (2014), Danny Kent (2015), Joan Mir (2017), Jorge Martin (2018) and Lorenzo Dalla Porta (2019).

Masia has won 10 times in Moto3™, and he is tied with Dennis Foggia third place on the list of riders with most wins in Moto3™ since 2012, behind Romano Fenati (13) and Joan Mir (11).

Masia has stood on the podium 27 times in the class, and he is the rider with second most Moto3™ podiums behind Romano Fenati (29).

Masia is the eighth Spanish rider to win the Moto3™ title since the introduction of the class in 2012.

Jorge Martin won the MotoGP World Championship Sprint Race Saturday night at Lusail International Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati, Martin won the 11-lap race by 0.391 second.

Fabio Di Giannantonio was the runner-up on his Gresini Racing Ducati. Pole-sitter Luca Marini finished third on his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati.

Di Giannantonio’s teammate Alex Marquez was fourth, and defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia placed fifth on his Lenovo Team Ducati.

Martin’s win combined with Bagnaia’s fifth-place finish reduced Bagnaia’s lead in the point standings from 14 to seven over Martin.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

#PECCOvsMARTIN: Sprint fireworks as Martin wins to take the title fight to Valencia

It’s down to seven points as the Pramac rider holds off Diggia and Marini completes the podium, with Bagnaia down in P5

Saturday, 18 November 2023

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) made super Saturday into statement Saturday at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar. With a potential match point on the line on Sunday for title rival Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) depending on the Tissot Sprint, the pressure was absolutely on, and the number 89 soaked it up and then some. After battling Bagnaia early in the race as the two started in P4 and P5, Martin made his way into the lead and then held off a charging Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) over a tense final lap, halving Pecco’s points lead in the process as the Championship leader came home only fifth.

Diggia took a stunning second and from second on the grid, with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) taking third after leading much of the Sprint from pole. Then came Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), and then Bagnaia after a fascinating showdown in the desert.

It was an immediate shot of adrenaline in the title fight in Turn 1 too, with Marini getting the holeshot as Alex Marquez slotted into second – but there was contact right behind the two between Martin and Bagnaia. Martin, the rider on the inside, just kept third, with Bagnaia left with a few metres to make up. Later round the lap both Alex Marquez and Martin were slightly wide though, and Pecco shot back past Martin as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) also attacked and got through.

Martin hit back not long after, putting him right back on the rear wheel of Bagnaia. On Lap 2, it got seriously close again as the number 89 opened the door for himself and made it through, with Diggia trying to do the same. A few corners later, he did.

Meanwhile in the lead, Marini was under attack. Alex Marquez got through but the Italian answered straight back, holding on to it as Martin got the hammer down just behind and set the fastest lap.

Over the line for seven laps to go, Alex Marquez had reloaded and was ready to try again. He once again made it through too, but Martini was even quicker to respond with an immediate cutback. That gave Martin a few more metres too as they squabbled, and the number 89 struck as soon as he had the chance to take over in second, homing in on Marini as Alex Marquez was left to defend against Diggia.

The move from Martin came at the final corner, taking over in the lead and able to hold Marini off into Turn 1. Alex Marquez couldn’t say the same, with Diggia able to get through at Turn 1 and set off after the battle ahead.

Bagnaia, meanwhile, was in fifth and just off the back of the gaggle at the front, but with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) charging on, around half a second back. 

The next move saw Diggia attack Marini for second, and from there the number 49 set off after Martin. Or more, the mission began to keep up with the title contender as the hammer went absolutely down. Lap by lap, they both pulled away, with Marini holding a safe third and Alex Marquez able to gather up a bit of breathing space ahead of Bagnaia. 

The leading duo were locked together at the start of the final lap, with Diggia shadowing Martin’s every move. But the number 89 just kept turning the screw and the Gresini machine lost a few metres here and a few there, unable to quite get back on terms with the race leader. Martin crossed the line 0.391s clear to take a valuable 12-point haul from the Tissot Sprint, with Diggia impressing once again after an incredible weekend so far. Marini completes the podium on Saturday.

Alex Marquez held on to fourth as Bagnaia was only able to take fifth, and under some late pressure from Viñales, who got past Binder and was on the march. But the number #1 was just about able to respond and keep a two to three tenth buffer, defending P5 but seeing his lead cut to just seven points.

Binder came home in P7, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) putting in an even bigger charge up from P14 on the grid. The Frenchman was able to get past Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), who was forced to settle for 10th as Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) – now officially Rookie of the Year – grabbed P9 and the last point on Saturday too.

An early, multi-rider crash saw Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) make contact with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) was also caught up. Oliveira was declared unfit due to a scapula fracture, and Aleix Espargaro has to be passed fit in a review on Sunday morning – with that penalty from Fp2 pending as well…

And so it’s just seven points between Bagnaia and Martin, with 62 still on the table. 25 more go up for grabs on Sunday in the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, and if the Sprint is anything to go by, there will be fireworks. Don’t miss it – tune in for more on Sunday at 20:00 (GMT +3) for another spectacular showdown under the floodlights.

Joe Roberts earned pole position during Moto2 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Lusail International Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Riding his Italtrans Racing Kalex, the American covered the recently repaved 3.4-mile (5.4 km) circuit in 1:57.305, breaking the All-Time Lap Record of 1:57.895 set by Fermin Aldeguar hours earlier in Free Practice Three.

Celestino Vietti was second-best with a 1:57.312 on his Fantic Racing Kalex, and Aron Canet claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:57.333 on his Pons Wegow Los40 Kalex.

Roberts’ countryman Sean Dylan Kelly (SDK) qualified 26th with a time of 1:58.955 on his Forward Team racebike.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Roberts grabs last gasp record pole from Vietti

Italtrans Racing’s Joe Roberts will start on pole position for Sunday’s Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar after setting a new all-time lap record at Lusail – a 1:57.305 – to beat Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) by just 0.007s. The Italian fought his way up from Q1 to bag himself a spot in the middle of the front row, as Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) gets set to line up alongside them on the front row after the Spaniard finished just 0.021s behind Vietti to take 3rd place in Q2. 

Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) has been the rider of the moment since the green flag dropped on Friday but the Spaniard had to settle for P4, with the #54 joined on the second row by British riders Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) – the duo powering their Triumph machines to 5th and 6th respectively. 

The third row of the grid is headed by the 2023 World Champion Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo). The #37 has compatriots Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing) and Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Mastercamp) for company as the trio claimed 7th, 8th, and 9th, with Alonso Lopez (BetaTools SpeedUp) settling for P10 after his flying lap came to an abrupt end with the red flag coming out in the final 30 seconds. 

Make sure not to miss any of the Moto2™ action set to commence on Sunday at 18:15 local time (GMT +3).

Daniel Holgado earned pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday night at Lusail International Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Riding his Red Bull KTM Tech3 machine, the young Spaniard lapped the 3.4-mile (5.4 km) track in 2:04.742 to top the field of 28 riders and claim his first pole position of 2023.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Bagnaia & Martin head Row 2 as Marini slams in stunning record pole

Marini, Di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez push the title contenders down to the second row on Saturday

Saturday, 18 November 2023

A stunning qualifying session at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar bubbled up to an incredible crescendo on Saturday, with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) striking late with a near-perfect lap to take pole position with a new lap record. He pipped Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) by just 0.067s, with Sepang Tissot Sprint winner Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) completing the front row.

The two title contenders both got bumped off that front row, but they aren’t far away by any means: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) takes P4 and has Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) right alongside in P5, with the duo split by just 0.022s. On Friday it was 0.007s, with incredible parity so far in the desert to set up two fascinating showdowns under the floodlights. 

Q1

After the first runs in a star-studded Q1, it was Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) leading the way ahead of Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), with Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), after just losing out on making the cut in Practice, next up. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), meanwhile, was dead last despite topping FP2, having seen his hot lap interrupted by a front end save.

As soon as Quartararo headed back out though, the red sectors started coming in. Two tenths up in the first sector, nearly half a second in the second, and with company from Alex Marquez tucked in behind setting similar sectors too. As both crossed the line, the number 73 took 0.087 out of El Diablo as it became an AM73-FQ20 1-2 in Q1, and under the lap record. Could anyone beat it? Zarco could indeed, pipping Alex Marquez by just 0.055 as the two moved through, leaving Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Quartararo just missing out.

Q2

The first benchmark came from Diggia as two pairings made their way around: Bagnaia followed by Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), slotting into fourth and fifth, and Martin behind Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing). That nearly saw some drama as Martin tried to pass but couldn’t find a way through, but next time round with some more space, the number 89 put in a fast one and shot up to third behind Marini and Diggia at the top.

Then, Martin pulled back intp pitlane just as Bagnaia pulled back out of the garage, with… you guessed it, Marc Marquez for company once again. And the two were setting red sectors, but so was Diggia. The number 49 completed his second shot at it by cutting a stunning three and a half tenths off his own provisional pole time, setting the first ever 1:51 of Lusail.

Bagnaia was next and took over in second, two tenths off, with Marc Marquez not quite able to pip him to it but taking a provisional front row. The next assault was from Alex Marquez and it was CLOSE, with the number 73 making it a Gresini 1-2 to push Bagnaia down to third. Next up there were red sectors from Martin but the lap went away, and then it looked like Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing)) could challenge at the top before the Aprilia lost time in the final part of the lap. 

But then came Marini. The Italian kept it absolutely pinned, just able to deny compatriot Diggia by 0.067s, and that was that after an awesome flurry of activity on the timesheets late on. Marini heads Diggia and Alex Marquez, with all three setting 1:51s and a second quicker than the 2021 lap record. The Independent Team riders shine under the floodlights, pushing the two contenders down to Row 2 as the penultimate 37 points of the year go up for grabs.

THE GRID

Behind Marini, Di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez, the two contenders will be looking to make big gains from the off from Row 2, Bagnaia just 0.020 ahead of Martin. Zarco in sixth will be an interesting one to watch too.

Then comes Marc Marquez, Viñales and Friday’s fastest Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) on Row 3. Aleix Espargaro is down in P10 ahead of a Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) looking to make a classic Binder charge when the lights go out, the South African in P11. Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) locks out the Q2 crowd in P12.

After losing out in Q1, Bezzecchi starts P13 just ahead of Quartararo. Sepang winner Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) is next up in P15, and after coming across Iker Lecuona (LCR Honda Castrol) on a hot lap in Q1. Lecuona has a three-place grid penalty for that. Miller heads Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) in P16 and P17 after the Australian also thought the Portugese rider held him up in a tight, tight Q1.