MotoGP LIVE Qatar Q1: Brad Binder ahead of Fabio Quartararo, Zarco eliminated with yellow flag

Fabio Quartararo would undoubtedly have liked the general feeling of an FP3 " of no use » exuding comments be verified. But as far as he was concerned, that was not the case. It even changed a lot of things by excluding it from the strategic automatic admission to Q2. The year is off to a bad start for the World Champion who is evaluating his options for 2023. And even less so since his teammate Franco Morbidelli will not be with him in this decisive Q1…

The official Yamaha will meet his compatriot in the Ducati GP22 at engine 2022 Johan Zarco who lacked good sensations before setting an intimidating time during FP4... Moreover, the brand which will want to avoid the humiliation of not being in the qualifying final is KTM where all these flocks are poured into these drafts.

Nothing will be more complicated to emerge from this melee among the first two to continue the adventure in Q2 because the Honda drivers Alex Marquez et Nakagami will also sell their skin dearly while we wait for the awakening of Maverick Vinales on the Aprilia. It will be recalled that given the potential of its Yamaha equipment, Fabio Quartararo declared during the off-season that he would absolutely have to position himself on the first two rows of the starting grid to hope to do anything in the race...

What will this Q1 have in store for us, which will put the reigning World Champion under high tension? Before finding out, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far…

Qatar MotoGP™	2021	2022
FP1	1'54.779 Aleix Espargaró (See here)	1'54.851 Brad Binder (See here)
FP2	1'53.145 Jack Miller (See here)	1'53.432 Alex Rins (See here)
FP3	1'56.064 Fabio Quartararo (See here)	1'53.790 Enea Bastianini (See here)
FP4	1'54.543 Johann Zarco (See here)	1'54.420 Johann Zarco (See here)
Q1	1'53.931 Joan Mir (See here)	1'53.512 Brad Binder
Q2	1'53.106 Jorge Martín (See here)	(See here)
Warm up	1'54.482 Johann Zarco (See here)	(See here)
Course	Quartararo, Zarco, Martin (See here)	(See here)
All time lap record	1'52.772 Francesco Bagnaia 2021 (See here)

23.3° in the air and 26.2° on the track are the conditions proposed to the pilots for the 15 minutes of the exercise.

During FP4, he was the boss…

This is the fourth time in 52 Grands Prix that Fabio Quartararo plays in a Q1. The drivers are gradually leaving their stands: currently the Diablo Quarterly is on track.

The first reference is for Johann zarco in 1'53.780. Quarterly passes in front in 1'53.654. But Brad Binder inserts himself between the two Frenchmen, condemning Johann zarco in third place 7 minutes from the goal. Quarterly shakes his head, to ensure access to Q2, he must go faster.

5 minutes from the end of the session, for the moment the drivers to move on to Q2 are Quarterly (1:53.654) and Binder (+0.051). Special mention for Bezzecchi, fourth as a rookie and dominating his leader Marini.

For Quarterly , you need a good lap to stay in Q2. Being satisfied with 1:53.654 is a big risk for Diablo. Darryn binder fall at turn 2. zarco attacks but his effort is in vain because accomplished under yellow flag, fabio quartararo does everything straight without consequence.

In the end, it is Brad Binder who snatches the piece in 1'53.512, ahead fabio quartararo. zarco stays on the floor. We leave this Q1 with two curiosities: worst performance in the history of Casa Particular in Viñales in Losail, 19th. He was the pole sitter here in 2017 and 2019 and last year he finished 3rd in both qualifications. zarco 6th and 2nd on the grid (and twice 2nd in the race) here last year, is eliminated in Q1.

Ranking of Qualification 1 of the Qatar MotoGP Grand Prix on the Losail/Lusail circuit: 

Classification credit: MotoGP.com