MotoGP Spain LIVE race: Francesco Bagnaia dominant, Fabio Quartararo 2nd

Francesco Bagnaia qualified on pole, setting a new all-time lap record at Jerez. This is his seventh MotoGP top position and first since Algarve last year. He will be aiming for victory for the first time since Valencia last year, which is also his most recent podium finish. This is Ducati's third pole position at Jerez in MotoGP, with Loris Capirossi in 2003, for what was the Italian factory's first ever pole position in 2003, and 2006. After Jorge Martin (Qatar/Americas), Johann Zarco (Portugal), Francesco Bagnaia is the third Ducati pole-sitter since the start of the season, equaling the Italian factory's record in 2018 and 2021.

Having failed to qualify on pole position for the first time at Jerez since switching to MotoGP in 2019, fabio quartararo qualified in second position for his second front row start of the season, just like in Indonesia, where he was on pole. He will try to win for the first time in two consecutive races since Doha and Portugal last year. This is the 38th first line of Quarterly in MotoGP. In his 37 front row starts, he finished on the podium 20 times, including seven of his nine victories in the premier class.

Alex Espargaro qualified in third position for his third front row this season, after Argentina where he was on pole and Portugal where he was P3. Both times he reached the podium. It will aim to offer Aprilia its first consecutive podium in the premier category.

Winner last year in Jerez, Jack Miller qualified in fourth position, which is the third consecutive time he has qualified on the top two rows. He will try to win for the first time since France last year.

Marc Marquez qualified in fifth position for his second best qualification since the start of the season, after Qatar, where he was third. He will attempt to reach the podium for the first time since his victory in Emilia-Romagna last year.

On pole during the last race in Portugal, John Zarco was in Q1 for the second time this year after Qatar. He qualified sixth for the second consecutive time at Jerez and will try to win for the first time in MotoGP.

Takaaki Nakagami, who finished P4 in the last two races at Jerez, qualified in seventh, his best result since fifth at last year's Americas GP. He will try to get on the podium for the first time in MotoGP.

After passing Q1, the rookie Marco Bezzecchi qualified in eighth position, his second best result in MotoGP after being sixth last week in Portugal. His best result in MotoGP so far is a P9 in Argentina.

Joan mir, who crashed at the end of Q2, is ninth and first Suzuki. This is the fourth time since the start of the year that he has started from the third row. Eight of his 13 MotoGP podiums so far have come after he started from the third row or lower.

Tied on points with fabio quartararo in the Championship, alex rins qualified in 14th position, his second worst qualification of the season. Last week in Portugal, he was 23rd but ultimately finished the race in fourth position. His best MotoGP result at Jerez is P2 in 2019.

What will this sixth race of the season have in store for us? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

MotoGP™, Jerez, Spain	2021	2022
FP1	1'38.013 Brad Binder (see here)	1'38.194 Joan Mir (See here)
FP2	1'37.209 Francesco Bagnaia (see here)	1'37.071 Fabio Quartararo (See here)
FP3	1'36.985 Takaaki Nakagami (see here)	1'36.782 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)
FP4	1'37.341 Fabio Quartararo (see here)	1'37.517 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)
Q1	1'36.916 Franco Morbidelli (see here)	1'37.003 Johann Zarco (See here)
Q2	1'36.755 Fabio Quartararo (see here)	1'36.170 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)
Warm Up	1'37.688 Johann Zarco (see here)	1'37.442 Takaaki Nakagami (See here)
Course	Miller, Bagnaia, Morbidelli (see here)	Bagnaia, Quartararo, Aleix Espargaro
All time lap record	1'36.584 Maverick Viñales (2020)	1'36.170 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)

It is under radiant sunshine and a large crowd that is no less numerous that this race will be launched for 25 laps. It feels like we've returned to the world before. Here are the live images that feel good…

It's 28° in the air and 43° on the track: the sun floods this magnificent and technical circuit of Jerez

It's time for all pilots to take flight and achieve victory! They will have 25 turns to do this! Go Go!

Your predictions for this race are here and now…

As a reminder of the forces present on the grid…

Michelin communicates the drivers’ tire choice

The fans are finally back in numbers in the stands!

Warm-up lap!!!!

The drivers set off and it was Bagnaia who held on in front of Quartararo. Miller, Nakagami and Marquez Marc complete this provisional top5, Zarco is 9th

Fall of Martin and Bradl in turn 13, two independent falls.

In front Bagnaia stands up to Quartararo in front of Miller, Marc Marquez, Aleix Espargaro, Mir, Nakagami, Bezzecchi, Zarco and Binder

There are 22 laps left to complete.

Quartararo seems to be in a waiting position behind Bagnaia, he is gradually putting pressure on him, he is 0.348s behind the Italian.

1.118 separate Quartararo from Miller, the gap is gradually widening between the 2 leaders and the rest of the troop.

Darryn Binder crashes in turn 1.

With 19 laps to go, Bagnaia holds Quartararo at bay at 1/2s: Miller, Marc Marquez, Aleix Espargaro, Mir, Nakagami, Bezzecchi, Zarco and Binder bring up the rear of this top10

The battle for 3rd position on the podium will begin between Miller, Marc Marquez and Aleix Espargaro….

Rins Falls. Zarco also makes a mistake in turn 5

New fall for Bradl…

14 more laps and the gap between Bagnaia and Quartararo grows: 7 tenths…

Behind, Miller resists the attacks of Marc Marquez, Aleix Espargaro also shows the tire of his motorcycle and presses behind Marquez. The former World Champion gets annoyed behind the Ducati rider, it will make or break….!

Quartararo comes back to less than 5 tenths of Bagnaia, there are 10 laps remaining!

The Frenchman loses big again in sector 1, he drops back to 7 tenths...Follows Miller who holds his own against Marc Marquez and Aleix Espargaro.

Stable gap between Bagnaia the leader and Quartararo. Neither driver makes the slightest mistake... There are 2 laps left!

Marquez misses while trying something on Miller...He pesters the Spaniard! The podium is close for Marquez but we will have to get back there!

Quartararo seems indelicate with his front tire...he passes 8 tenths behind the Ducati rider.

Marc Marquez finally manages to overtake Miller, the podium is getting closer!

But it doesn't last...Aleix Espargaro passes Miller and Marquez who misses! What a rescue!

Top5 with 4 laps to go: Bagnaia, Quartararo, AEspargaro, Miller and Marquez.

Long lap penalty for Martin (exceeded the limits of the track)

Quartararo at 4 tenths..

Last round !

Victory for Bagnaia ahead of Quartararo, Aleix Espargaro, Marc Marquez who got rid of Miller.

Marc Marquez 4th, greets his fans!

       MotoGP Spain Race: classification

 

Classification credit: MotoGP.com