The first 15-minute segment of qualifying started off with the best laps coming on wets before a crossover point materialised where slicks were the best option.
And throughout Q2 the fight for pole was dictated by track evolution, with Pramac Ducati’s Zarco setting the pole lap on his final lap with a 1m42.003s.
Qualifying started in chaotic fashion in Q1 as the track had dried out enough for some to gamble on slicks, but wet patches remained.
LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami was one of the first to venture out on slicks, but immediately bailed for wet tyres at the end of his out-lap.
Tech3’s Remy Gardner also went out on slicks but crashed at Turn 9, while Ducati’s Bagnaia was flicked from his slick-shod bike at the first corner as he started a flying lap.
Bagnaia – winner and poleman at Portimao in November – landed heavily and pointed towards his right shoulder to trackside medical staff, with the Italian being put into the back of an ambulance to be taken for checks at the medical centre.
Joan Mir, Team Suzuki MotoGP
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Slicks would eventually become the tyre to be on as Q1 drew to a close, with Alex Marquez on the LCR Honda and VR46 Ducati’s Luca Marini using soft rubber to get through to Q2.
Championship leader Enea Bastianini also switched to slicks for his final run and suffered a similarly heavy crash to his Ducati counterpart Bagnaia – the Gresini rider coming off at Turn 5.
This left 2022’s only repeat winner 18th on the grid, while Bagnaia will start last if he is cleared to race having not even set a lap time.
Adding to the list of major Q1 casualties, Pramac’s Jorge Martin’s run of top two qualifying results in 2022 came to an end when he was shuffled back to 13th while Suzuki’s Alex Rins was left in 23rd having stayed on wets at the end of the session.
For the start of Q2, everyone headed out on slick tyres, though conditions were still tricky – with reigning world champion Fabio…
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