Logic said that under the sun it would have been impossible to improve the times achieved last night under artificial lights, therefore with a more suitable temperature for the performance, but go and explain it to Enea Bastianini. The Gresini Racing driver set the best time in the third free practice session of the Qatar Grand Prix and in this way he managed to change the balance of Q2, gaining direct access.
When he mounted the soft tires, “Bestia” had already shown a truly monstrous performance, with a 1’53 “3 that had even earned him the top of the combined standings. This time trial, however, was canceled, because he put the rear tire on the green coming out of the last corner.
Enea, however, did not lose heart and after a “cooling lap” he relaunched, stopping the clock at 1’53 “790. Performance that put him in fifth place in the cumulative, giving the first big twist of the In fact, the reigning world champion Fabio Quartararo, who will be forced to pass from Q1, paid the price.
Despite the fourth time in FP3, the Yamaha rider was unable to improve yesterday’s performance and at the end of the cumulative he found himself in 11th position, mocked for just 20 thousandths by Aleix Espargaro’s Aprilia, who like him is among those who remained on the time trial they had recorded in FP2.
Pol Espargaro and Pecco Bagnaia, both capable of improving themselves, contributed to the elimination of the Frenchman. The Honda rider finished FP3 in second place in 1’53 “803, just 52 thousandths ahead of the Ducati rider. In the cumulative they therefore moved to seventh and eighth position.
The fifth time this morning was not enough for Brad Binder to get into Q2. Speech that also applies to Johann Zarco and Miguel Oliveira, who follow him at a distance of a few thousandths and will have to challenge him in Q1. Opposite speech for Joan Mir and Jorge Martin, who are eighth and ninth, but qualified thanks to the FP2 time trial which earned them third and fourth place respectively in the cumulative.
Same situation for Alex Rins and Marc Marquez, who remained firmly at the top of the cumulative despite not even attempting the time attack this morning and finished in 11th and 15th position.
Despite a crash at turn 6, which even relegated him to 23rd place, Franco Morbidelli is the only Yamaha standard bearer to have achieved direct access to Q2 thanks to yesterday’s time trial. The picture of the “magnificent 10” is then completed with Jack Miller, 20th this morning, but ninth in the cumulative. In the end, in spite of the difficulties, there are therefore four Ducatis that have already earned the qualifying segment that is giving away the pole.
For three Italians who already have the certainty of being able to compete in Q2, four of our boys will have to try to earn it in Q1: the 12th time in FP3 did not help Luca Marini to climb the rankings enough, as well as the 13th of a however excellent Fabio Di Giannantonio, best rookie of the round. Marco Bezzecchi and Andrea Dovizioso, however, are more late, 18th and 19th this morning.
FP3 ranking (not cumulative)
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