MotoGP France Le Mans Q1 LIVE: Jorge Martin passes and Joan Mir narrowly escapes from Bezzecchi

The last free practice session in MotoGP gave us a Ducati double at Le Mans, scene of the French Grand Prix, seventh stage of the 2022 season. The fastest was local rider Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), who, just under the checkered flag, beat the winner of Jerez Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati Factory) by only 31 thousandths. A performance which was also synonymous with a new track record for the Bugatti.

Third time for the leader of the world ranking fabio quartararo (Yamaha Factory), which throughout the session pulled Marc Marquez (Honda Factory), despite the controversy sparked on the subject. But in this case, the Frenchman showed himself to be a good prince, even with a gesture of sympathy towards the pilot of the RC213V.

Jack Miller with the second Ducati Factory was fifth, ahead of the Aprilia ofAleix Espargarò, the Honda LCR of Takaaki Nakagami and the Suzuki ofalex rins. Pol Espargaro also qualified directly for Q2 with the second Honda Factory, as Enea Bastianini, the latter with time established on Friday.

The Gresini team rider had to abandon the bike he was riding due to an engine problem and was unable to play a leading role in the FP3 finale. They will have to go through the “trap” of Q1 among others: Jorge Martin, Maverick Vinales, Joan mir, Luca Marini, Brad Binder, Franco Morbidelli and Andrea Dovizioso.

The best rookie was Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati Mooney VR46 Racing Team) 15nd, followed by Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati Gresini) 17th, Remy Gardner (KTM Team Tech 3) 21th, Raul Fernandez (KTM Team Tech3) 23nd and Darryn Binder. (Yamaha with U RNF) 24th.

What will this decisive quarter of an hour have in store for us from which the two best drivers will emerge to play the final of Q2? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far…

MotoGP™ Le Mans	2021	2022
FP1	1'38.007 Jack Miller (See here)	1'31.771 Pol Espargaro
FP2	1'31.747 Johann Zarco (See here)	1'31.148 Enea Bastianini
FP3	1'40.736 Marc Marquez (See here)	1'30.537 Johann Zarco
FP4	1'32.857 Fabio Quartararo (See here)	1'31.444 Fabio Quartararo
Q1	1'42.550 Lorenzo Savadori (See here)	1'30.804 Jorge Martin
Q2	1'32.600 Fabio Quartararo (See here)
Warm Up	1'44.515 Danilo Petrucci (See here)
Course	Jack Miller, Johann Zarco, Fabio Quartararo (See here)
All time lap record	1'31.185 Johann Zarco (2018)

The conditions are still summery on the Le Mans track and the French Grand Prix has a holiday scent that many people smell but that the drivers ignore. For them, it is rather the heady smell of combat that fills them.

The first reference goes to Mir in 1'31.252 ahead Bezzecchi. But Jorge Martin sets the bar at 1'31.138.

It’s already time for the second run… Mir is under threat from the two VR46 riders on their Ducati. Bezzecchi gets a fright at the zarco...

The last five minutes have begun. Mir signed a reference 1'30.933. He has never been this fast since the start of this weekend.

Under the checkered flag, it's George Martin which passes in 1'30.804, ahead Mir who saves his head for only 7 thousandths against Bezzecchi... Casa Particular in Viñales is fourth, Marini closing the top 5…

George Martin the fastest in Q1 in 1'30″8, second time for Joan Mir at 129 thousandths. Bezzecchi, Vinales, Marini will start from the fifth line. From the sixth 'Diggia', Oliveira et Binder. Morbidely et Dovizioso respectively from 19th and 20th place on the starting grid.

MotoGP France Le Mans Q1: times