2022 Aragon MotoGP, MotorLand - Qualifying (1) Results

* Rookie

Aleix Espargaro and Johann Zarco progress to the Q2 pole position shootout, where they will join the ten fastest riders after third practice.

The others - including Marc Marquez and Maverick Vinales - will start, in the above order, from 13th on the grid onwards.

Marquez tried to follow Aleix Espargaro at the start of the session. The Aprilia rider attempted to let the Repsol Honda past on the out-lap but, when Marquez declined, pulled to the side on the exit of Turn 1 on their first flying laps.

But Fabio di Giannantonio, behind Marquez, was caught slightly off guard by the slow Aprilia ahead and the incident was put under investigation.

Espargaro got his revenge when he pushed Marquez out of the top-two transfer places in the final minute.

Meanwhile, Aprilia team-mate Vinales suffered his first fall in a grand prix weekend this season, at Turn 2, ending his chances of making Qualifying 2.

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Francesco Bagnaia is seeking a 5th win in a row this weekend, as he returns to the scene of his debut MotoGP victory at Aragon last season.

But the big news is that Marc Marquez, the rider Bagnaia narrowly beat one year ago, will be returning to race action for the first time since Mugello in May, after which he underwent a fourth operation to improve mobility and reduce pain in his beleaguered right arm.

Reigning champion and title leader Fabio Quartararo faces what has proven to be one of his toughest circuits - a best of fifth in 2019 and only eighth last year - with a reduced 30 point lead over Bagnaia.

Aleix Espargaro – now pushed to third in the standings by Bagnaia’s rise - could be another one to watch, with Aragon traditionally one of his best events of the season on the Aprilia.

Team-mate Maverick Vinales is also on red-hot form, with RS-GP podiums in three of the last four rounds.

After missing Misano due to ankle injuries from Austria, Joan Mir rejoins Alex Rins at Suzuki.

With Andrea Dovizioso hanging up his leathers after Misano, triple MotoGP race winner and current Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow is taking over the RNF seat for the final six rounds of this season.

MotoGP Aragon weekend schedule (UK time)

Friday September 16

8am - Moto3 FP1

8.55am - MotoGP FP1

9.55am - Moto2 FP1

12.15pm - Moto3 FP2

1.10pm - MotoGP FP2

2.10pm - Moto2 FP2

 

Saturday September 17

8am - Moto3 FP3

8.55am - MotoGP FP3

9.55am - Moto2 FP3

11.35am - Moto3 Q1

12pm - Moto3 Q2

12.30pm - MotoGP FP4

1.10pm - MotoGP Q1

1.35pm - MotoGP Q2

2.10pm - Moto2 Q1

2.35pm - Moto2 Q2

 

Sunday September 18

8am - Moto3 warm-up

8.20am - Moto2 warm-up

8.40am - MotoGP warm-up

10am - Moto3 race

11.20am - Moto2 race

1pm - MotoGP race