Jorge Lorenzo becomes a MotoGP™ Legend

Lorenzo joins a long list of greats that have been made MotoGP™ Legends that includes Valentino Rossi, Giacomo Agostini, Mick Doohan, Geoff Duke, Wayne Gardner, Mike Hailwood, Daijiro Kato, Eddie Lawson, Anton Mang, Angel Nieto, Wayne Rainey, Phil Read, Jim Redman, Kenny Roberts,  Kenny Roberts Jr, Jarno Saarinen, Kevin Schwantz, Barry Sheene, Marco Simoncelli, Freddie Spencer, Casey Stoner, John Surtees, Carlo Ubbiali, Alex Crivillé, Franco Uncini, Marco Lucchinelli, Randy Mamola, Kork Ballington, Dani Pedrosa, Stefan Dörflinger, Jorge ‘Aspar’ Martinez, and the late Nicky Hayden.

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Ducati match a Saturday record after just six rounds

We might only be at the sixth round of 2022 but Ducati have already managed to match a factory record. The Bologna Bullets fly on a Saturday, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) the latest to place it on pole position following his magnificent lap at the Red Bull Spanish Grand Prix. Take a look at what record they’ve matched, plus much more, in the ten things you need to know ahead of Sunday’s Jerez showdown.

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ANALYSIS: Who’s the favourite for the Spanish Grand Prix?

Bagnaia, meanwhile, has only been able to post six laps under 1:38 with a medium on the rear. He will take comfort from three things, though. First, just like Quartararo did in FP3, Bagnaia was able to be within a tenth of the lap record with 23 laps on the rear. Secondly, in the hotter temperatures of FP4, he was able to match Fabio’s pace for the opening eight or nine laps before his pace dropped off slightly.

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Granado victorious as Pons and Casadei collide

Another dramatic year of MotoE™ is on the cards if the first race of the season at Jerez is any guide

Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) has taken victory in the first race of the 2022 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España. In a typically entertaining contest, as many as five riders were in the fight for victory, and it was in that bunch that Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) and Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) collided on Lap 6.

Pons had qualified on pole as the Q1-Q2 system was used in MotoE™ for the first time but it was Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing), on his return to the World Cup, who got the holeshot and led the field to the first corner at the Circuit de Jerez-Angel Nieto. What followed was a duel between him and Casadei, with Pons running close behind.

Pons had qualified on pole as the Q1-Q2 system was used in MotoE™ for the first time but it was Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing), on his return to the World Cup, who got the holeshot and led the field to the first corner at the Circuit de Jerez-Angel Nieto. What followed was a duel between him and Casadei, with Pons running close behind.

A flashpoint in the leading group

By the halfway mark of the eight-lap race, Granado and then Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE) had caught up to the leading trio to make it a five-way battle at the front of the field. Garzo still had eyes forward when he tried to go down the inside and reclaim first position from Casadei at Turn 6 on Lap 6, but he could not make the move stick and instead was overtaken by Granado at Turn 8.

That gave the Brazilian a clear shot at a pass for the lead, and he dived underneath Casadei when they arrived at Turn 13. That was clean enough, as was Pons’ move for third position on Garzo just behind them.

However, Pons seemingly decided that he would go for a double overtake. The Spaniard tried to follow Granado through a diminishing gap on the inside of Casadei, at which time they made side-to-side contact which put the Italian on the floor.

The contact meant Granado could quickly make a half-second gap at the head of the field, with Pons emerging second, Aegerter third, Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) up to fourth, and Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) to fifth. Garzo had dropped to sixth because he had to ride around the outside of a falling Casadei.

More drama on the final lap

Pons started to close the gap to Granado before a long lap penalty for ‘irresponsible riding’ was announced during the final lap. Aegerter had no opportunity to see that message before the chequered flag, so he instead pulled off a move at Turn 9 which he set up brilliantly by getting on the outside of Pons through Turn 8.

Granado reached the finish 0.696 seconds ahead of Aegerter for his sixth race win in the World Cup, with Pons crossing the line in third but demoted to eighth once a three-second penalty for not being able to take the long lap was applied.

Third therefore instead went to Ferrari, with Garzo fourth and Torres fifth. Casadei did make the finish, but in 17th, while the sole DNF was Alessio Finello (Felo Gresini MotoE™) due to a crash on Lap 2.

After eight laps of MotoE™ action, there is even more to come on Sunday at Jerez, when Race 2 gets underway at 15:30 (GMT +2).

MotoE™ Race 1 Top 5:

1. Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) – 8 laps
2. Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE) + 0.696
3. Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE) + 1.005
4. Hector Garzo (Tech 3 E-Racing) + 1.537
5. Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) + 1.697

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Watch Red Bull Rookies Cup Race 1 from Jerez

The next generation of talent is set to take to the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto for the first race of the second round in the 2022 Red Bull Rookies Cup at 17:15 local time (GMT+2). You can follow it LIVE & FREE by clicking below, and if their opening encounters in Portimao are anything to go by from last weekend then you won’t want to miss it!

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Ogura gets his first Moto2™ pole in ultra-tight Q2 session

Still, praise must be reserved for Flexbox HP40’s Aron Canet. Only six days after breaking his left radius bone in the multi-rider crash in Portugal, he was also in the fight for pole position in Spain. In fact, Canet’s 1:41.369 had him fastest until Arbolino took over, and was good enough for fourth on the starting grid in the end.

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Bagnaia blitzes lap record to end Quartararo’s Jerez streak

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 wheel of the World Champion’s Yamaha M1.

Three minutes were now remaining when Mir’s front row hopes took a dent by crashing at the opening corner. History was then made as Bagnaia smashed everyone out of the park with a sensational 1:36.170. He was a jaw-dropping six tenths clear of Quartararo, as hopes of a fifth straight Jerez pole began slipping through his fingers. The Frenchman improved his laptime but was still four tenths adrift of the brilliant Bagnaia, whose first pole since Portimao last year was now confirmed. With the chequered flag out, Espargaro dug deep to grab the final front row spot out of the hands of Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) for a third top three performance in the last four rounds.

LATE LAPS AND CRASHES

Miller will fancy his chances of jumping on the Jerez podium again on Sunday, despite dropping back down to the head of the second row. The Australian will be joined there by Marc Marquez, after his towing paid off, and the fastest man in Q1: Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing). The Frenchman left it late in Q1 and was then the final man to come across the line in Q2. Thankfully for him, he saved his best until last again by jumping up two places to sixth.

Fronting the third row of the grid will be Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), ahead of the impressive rookie Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing), who backed up his second row start last weekend in Portimao with another sizzling Saturday performance. The final spot on the third row will be occupied by Mir after his late crash cost him dear, with the same going for Jorge Martin. The Spaniard, usually a Q2 master, rounds out the top ten. Similar disappointment for the man he’s fighting it out with over a 2023 factory Ducati seat, Enea Bastianini. A crash for the Gresini Racing man on his final flying lap meant he had to settle for 11th on the grid, ahead of Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) in 12th, who never got going in Q2.

Q1 FRUSTRATIONS

There were plenty of disgruntled faces at the conclusion of Q1, most notably from the man tied at the top of the World Championship. Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins could only manage 14th on the grid and will be desperately hoping he can conjure up some first lap magic again on Sunday. Repsol Honda Team’s Pol Espargaro missed out on a Q2 place right at the death following Zarco’s late lap, therefore the Spaniard will fire from 13th. KTM had a day to forget as well with their factory stars Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira languishing down in 15th and 21st.

Gran Premio Red Bull de España: MotoGP™ Q2

MotoGP™ Top 10 in Q2:
1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1:36.170
2. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) + 0.453
3. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) + 0.763
4. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.879
5. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.975
6. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) + 1.050
7. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda IDEMITSU) + 1.084
8. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) + 1.115
9. Joan Mir (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) + 1.160
10. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) + 1.356

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Zarco lifts late, Bezzecchi also escapes from Q1 at Jerez

The Frenchman clocked a 1:37.003 well after the chequered flag to take over top spot, relegating Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) to second position. While the Italian was still fast enough to get into Q2, Zarco’s effort meant that Espargaro finished just 0.003 seconds outside of the top two, and he will line up 13th on the grid for Sunday’s race at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto.

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Bagnaia earns FP4 bragging rights over Quartararo

The Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia will go into qualifying for the Gran Premio Red Bull de España off the back of another fastest lap, this time a 1:37.517 in FP4. Like in the day’s earlier session, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team), who experimented with hard Michelin rear tyre on his first run, was slightly slower by 0.083 seconds.

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Guevara and Garcia at full gas to give GASGAS a 1-2 in Jerez

At the end of the opening flying laps, it was Garcia who held provisional pole thanks to his 1:46.004. The Spaniard had a three tenth advantage with five minutes left on the clock, with Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max Racing) and Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) sitting in the early front row spots. It would then change at the top though, when Guevara, whilst riding alone, posted a 1:45.880. The Mallorcan managed that despite a moment on the exit of Turn 9, as the rear kicked out of line just as he applied the gas.

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