It won’t be a high five for the World Champion after Francesco Bagnaia set the fastest lap we’ve ever seen at the Spanish GP
History has been made at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto after Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) set a new all-time lap record of 1:36.170 in Q2 at the Red Bull Spanish Grand Prix. In the hotly-anticipated showdown between Bagnaia and the Jerez master Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), it went the way of the Italian as he denied the World Champion a fifth straight pole position in Andalucia. A late charge from Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espagaro saw him snatch the final front row spot as his confidence continues to grow in 2022.
NOTHING SHORT OF PERFECTION
Before the first flying laps had even come in we saw drama in Q2 when Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin crashed out at the first corner. The Spaniard squirted on the throttle before a slight bobble saw him crash out and sprint back for his second bike. That fall had consequences as it forced the cancellation of the majority of laps, meaning Joan Mir’s (Team Suzuki Ecstar) 1:37.616 was the fastest of the five riders whose laptimes still stood.
On the second flying laps, our usual duo were down to business and at it again. Bagnaia took top spot for a split second before Quartararo took over with a 1:36.790. The pair asserting their dominance early as they sat four tenths clear of Aleix Espargaro, who had managed to jump up to third.
The Ducati man had company for his first run as Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez latched himself onto the rear of his GP22. But Bagnaia’s crew worked wonders in pitlane at the end of his first run to get the Italian back out in rapid time, so he could shake off the close attention of Marquez. The eight-time World Champion then switched his focus to Quartararo instead, gluing himself to the rear…