2022 MotoGP Catalunya Results

Cycle News Staff | June 5, 2022

The Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya was a good one for Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). The Frenchman put to bed any flashbacks of late heartbreak in 2021 to pull clear and throw down the gauntlet at the front, taking his second MotoGP win at the venue and extending his lead in a dramatic day for a number of key rivals.

2022 MotoGP Catalunya Results — **Fabio Quartararo celebrates Catalunya victory.** Photos: Gold & Goose

An incident into turn one first saw Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) suffer contact from Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) after a crash for the Japanese rider, all ultimately unable to continue in the race, and then another contender was out as Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) crashed out alone mid-race. Finally, there was a heart-breaking blunder for Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing). The number 41 was in second place when celebrated a lap too early, leaving him pushing to keep a place in the top five.

At lights out, Quartararo nabbed the holeshot and avoided the chaos to hit the front, quickly stretching out a lead. By the end of the opening lap, he was nearly a second clear of the rest, keeping that margin ahead of Aleix Espargaro. Martin then complicated life more for the Aprilia rider as he sliced past into second, and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) was next on the chase. Just behind them, a fast-starting Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was already up to fifth and, once past, trying to shake off Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team).

As Quartararo pounded on, the focus shifted to the fight for second. With 15 to go, Aleix Espargaro struck and the number 41 pitched it perfectly at turn one to move through, with Zarco, in turn, making a gain on Martin, too. Quartararo was three seconds clear of the Aprilia, the Pramac duo were locked together, Mir was still holding off Marini and Viñales was up in seventh.

By this time, Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) had slid out, and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP) too. In between the two there was the second seismic shift in the title fight as Bastianini crashed out from P7. That meant two of the top four going in were now down and out, as Quartararo continued on at the front.

As “El Diablo” continued to count down the laps, the race for second was far from over. After stalking Martin, Aleix Espargaro hit back with four to go, again mugging the Prima Pramac Racing rider at turn one and getting the job done. Everything looked under control, but there was drama, drama just around the apex.

Over the line to start the penultimate lap, the Aprilia rider sat up into turn one. Was it a problem? A mistake? It was a heartbreaker, as Espargaro celebrated what would have been a fifth podium in a row but a lap too early. He realized not long after and slotted back in, dueling past Marini again as he watched the Prima Pramac duo disappear into the distance.

Up ahead, Quartararo crossed the line with a stunning advantage for a statement win, taking 25 points to extend his lead. Martin took second and Zarco third, with Mir then coming through to steal fourth late on after a stunning Sunday showcase from the Suzuki rider.

Aleix Espargaro crossed the line fifth for some still valuable points despite the pain of losing the podium, with Marini putting in an impressive race once again for sixth. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) had a strong Sunday to take P7, ahead of another race day comeback for Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as the South African finished just ahead of teammate Miguel Oliveira.

Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) put in one of the rides of the day to complete the top ten despite starting last after sitting out qualifying following a big crash in practice. Marquez was diagnosed with no injuries on Saturday after a full check-up, including cervical and neurological checks and an x-ray on his left arm, and after being passed fit to race in another medical review before Warm-Up, the number 73 put in a stunner to move up to complete the top ten.

Remy Gardner (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) managed to get the better of Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP) as the two rookies took P11 and P12, with Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) a few tenths further back in 13th. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) took P14, ahead of Raul Fernandez (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing).

“Being on the attack right from the start had to be the plan for today,” said winner Quartararo. “Our pace was great, and I knew I had to manage my rear tire, but I also knew that, if I got into first place, the race was going to be great. I braked super late in the first braking zone, and I thought that I was going to go super wide, but I managed to defend my position well. It was a really long race. I was leading from the first corner to the end, so this was a very constructive victory. Of course, I did feel a drop. I was pushing so hard in the opening laps, but I felt like I had more to give during this race. I had a bit of a margin left. I’m so happy to have this victory in the bag! I’m really satisfied. I’m feeling at my 100 percent, and I’m riding the bike like I was riding my scooter at home – it’s mine! I love it, and I’m enjoying it so much. I’m always improving on the bike and the really good thing is that I can think while riding and that is something really difficult when riding at that speed.” CN

2022 FIM MotoGP Championship

Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

Spain

RESULTS (June 5, 2022)

MotoGP (Top 10)

1.	Fabio Quartararo	(Yam)	40:29.3600
2.	Jorge Martin	(Duc)	+6.473
3.	Johann Zarco	(Duc)	+8.385
4.	Joan Mir	(Suz)	+11.481
5.	Aleix Espargaro	(Apr)	+14.395
6.	Luca Marini	(Duc)	+15.430
7.	Maverick Vinales	(Apr)	+15.975
8.	Brad Binder	(KTM)	+21.436
9.	Miguel Oliveira	(KTM)	+26.800
10.	Alex Marquez	(Hon)	+30.460

QUALIFYING

Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro reset his own all-time lap record to claim pole position for the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, coming out on top in a three-way fight for pole in MotoGP Q2 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The Aprilia rider’s 1:38.742 saw him prevail by just 0.031 seconds over Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia, with World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) also set to start from the front row on Sunday afternoon after ending Q2 less than two tenths further back.

Q1 saw Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) prevail, with the fight going right to the wire and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) snatching second, and the final spot in Q2, from rookie sensation and Mugello front row starter Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). From there, it was on to Q2 with both Aprilias…

It was tight at the end of the first runs, with Quartararo top on a 1:39.055, Bagnaia second at just a hundredth of a second off the pace, and Aleix Espargaro only two thousandths slower again in third.

While track temperature was approaching 140 degrees, the pace was just as hot when riders came back out for their second runs. Bagnaia raised the stakes when he punched out a 1:38.787, only 0.016 seconds away from the lap record that Aleix Espargaro had achieved in FP3, before taking an excursion through the run-off area at Turn 1. The Aprilia rider then snatched the provisional pole back with that 1:38.742, while Quartararo consolidated the third spot with a 1:38.959.

Aleix Espargaro was still pushing on his final lap when he outbraked himself at Turn 10, and Bagnaia was also continuing to chase time. This was it as the Ducati rider continued to find the pace to challenge, but it wasn’t quite enough as he crossed the line and was forced to settle for second. Quartararo, meanwhile, secured third but two tenths off the top.

The Grid

Behind three of the top four in the Championship as Aleix Espargaro heads Bagnaia and Quartararo, it’s a horde of Bologna bullets on row two. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) finished Q2 with a 1:39.027 to claim fourth, and he was just 0.072 seconds up on Mugello’s sensational rookie polesitter: Fabio Di Giannantonio. “Diggia” impressed once more, taking another top five on the grid.

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) was sixth-quickest courtesy of the 1:39.142 he set on his first run, likewise Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in seventh on a 1:39.145.

While 0.403 seconds separated first from seventh in qualifying, Viñales was 0.252 seconds further back in eighth spot, with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) also making it onto row three. The fourth row will be headed up by Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team), from Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) and the second of Q1 graduate in Nakagami.

So, where’s Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP)? The sole top five title contender out in Q1 lines up in P14, just behind Bezzecchi.

Row five is completed by Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who took a detour through the turn 10 gravel trap on his final lap.

Then it’s Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in 16th, ahead of 2020 Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) missed the session after a nasty-looking crash in FP4 which saw the Spaniard taken to the medical center for an x-ray on his left wrist. He will be reviewed before Warm-Up. CN

2022 FIM MotoGP Championship

Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

Spain

RESULTS (June 4, 2022)

Qualifying (Top 10)

1.	Aleix Espargaro	(Apr)	1:38.7420
2.	Francesco Bagnaia	(Duc)	1:38.7730
3.	Fabio Quartararo	(Yam)	1:38.9590
4.	Johann Zarco	(Duc)	1:39.0270
5.	Fabio De Giannantonio	(Duc)	1:39.0990
6.	Jorge Martin	(Duc)	1:39.1420
7.	Alex Rins	(Suz)	1:39.1450
8.	Maverick Vinales	(Apr)	1:39.3970
9.	Luca Marini	(Duc)	1:39.4510
10.	Pol Espargaro	(Hon)	1:39.4770

Briefly…

Quartararo and Yamaha – together for two more years

Confirmation arrived on Thursday that after months of negotiating, Fabio Quartararo will continue with Yamaha for two more years, 2023 and 2024. The reigning world champion was convinced to stay with the Japanese factory despite a lack of bike development since the end of last year. “It was not an easy decision,” said the 23-year-old. “And we took a little bit more time to evaluate all the project. And at the end, Yamaha makes a lot of effort, bring a lot of new people and they know where they need to improve. The last two-three years, they worked in some areas, to another and now they know where when they need to improve. And they know clearly it’s the power.” “The new people are already in Yamaha, and (working) on (the) engine, because we know that I feel super good on the bike. I need to be realistic, the thing that we’re missing, compared to the others, is the speed. So that’s also what made me take the decision that many people will go in the engine side, engineers, so they will be on that part of the bike.”

Miller, Espargaro poised for KTM switch

Jack Miller is poised to switch Ducati’s factory team for the Red Bull KTM squad in 2023 after agreeing on a deal with the Austrian manufacturer. The Australian chose the place over Ducati’s offer of a return to a satellite squad for next season. “Whispers are whispers,” he said when asked about his situation for next year. “We are just going through the motions for another weekend. We have at least twelve weekends as a factory Ducati rider and my main focus is trying to take the maximum out of that. That’s all.” And it appears Pol Espargaro will return to the Austrian factory, albeit in the Tech 3 squad. The Catalan gave the game away that he won’t be staying with Honda, explaining he had no new parts to try this weekend, despite Marc Marquez’s absence. That job instead fell to Takaaki Nakagami. “About the development of the bike, zero because Marc’s bike is going to go to Taka this weekend,” he said. Asked if he received an explanation for Honda’s decision, Espargaro said, “My concern is riding the bike. I asked for the best things, for the new things and the last evolution of the bike. But I’m not the guy who chooses if I’m going to have it or not. I’m a guy that gets paid to ride the bike and be as fast as possible.”

Marquez has successful shoulder surgery

Marc Marquez underwent “successful” surgery on Thursday in the May Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. In a three-hour procedure, a team headed by Dr. Joaquin Sanchez Sotelo carried out a humeral osteotomy.

Neil Morrison

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