MotoGP FP2
More, from a press release issued by FIM:
FIM MotoGP™ Stewards Notification of Sanction: Pol Espargaro
Friday, 21 October 2022
Please find attached an FIM MotoGP™ Stewards Notification of Sanction for Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team).
For rejoining the track unsafely and causing a dangerous for another rider in FP1, he has been given a three-place grid penalty for the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia MotoGP™ race.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Binder fastest, Bagnaia outside the top ten on Day 1
FP1 sees the KTM rider take to the top before tougher conditions in the afternoon – leaving Pecco outside the provisional Q2 places on Friday
Friday, 21 October 2022
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder takes Friday honours at the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia, fastest in FP1 by less than a tenth ahead of Australian GP winner Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) completes the top three, with some riders not putting in a time attack in the morning… and the weather closing in in the afternoon.
That leaves Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) in P11 overall, as he was in FP1, and by just 0.003. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) is seventh, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) down in a difficult P20. Neither Quartararo nor Bagnaia fitted new Michelin tyres for their final runs, and Aleix Espargaro suffered a crash on one bike and a technical problem on the other.
On a day of mixed weather, FP2 belonged to Cal Crutchlow (WithU Yamaha RND MotoGP™ Team), who set the quickest lap in a damp afternoon session at Sepang after a late change to slick Michelin tyres. However, his afternoon benchmark of 2:05.710 was several seconds away from the 1:59.576 which Binder achieved earlier in the day when the circuit was completely dry.
A huge downpour had caused a lengthy red flag period in the preceding session, Moto2™ FP2, but the sun was shining by the time the premier class rolled out for their second session of the day. All 24 riders started on wet Michelin tyres but there was precious little spray being kicked up by then. The session ended on slicks and with Crutchlow top as Bagnaia took second. Quartararo was fifth on wets.
The combined timesheets
It’s all from FP1, with Brad Binder heading Rins’ late charge and Marc Marquez third. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who’s facing his last stand in the title fight, was fourth, ahead of 2020 World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar).
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) slots into sixth ahead of Quartararo, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) in P8. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and teammate and Rookie of the Year Marco Bezzecchi complete the top ten and are therefore provisionally into Q2 ahead of Bagnaia… but what will FP3 bring?
Bagnaia, and teammate Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), will most definitely be hoping for dry skies. Can they move into the top ten? And if they don’t, will both head out to fight for only two sports in Q2 or will the Australian sit on the bench? It could be a big morning in FP3 from 10:50 (GMT +8) before qualifying from 15:05.
FRIDAY: TOP 3
1 Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – KTM – 1’59.479
2 Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – Suzuki – +0.097
3 Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) – Honda – +0.144
Fernandez slams in a statement Friday
The contender ends Day 1 over eight tenths clear, with Ogura fifth but 1.1 seconds back
There’s no better way to bounce back from a mistake than absolute domination, and that’s what Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had for the rest of the field on Friday. Ending the day over eight tenths clear after storming to the top in FP1, the number 37 was back in business in a big way.
His teammate, Pedro Acosta, was first on the chase in second, with Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) third. All three laps at the top were set in FP1, before the first of those from the afternoon: Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team). Gonzalez ends the day fourth thanks to that effort, which was set before a downpour mid-FP2.
Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) sits fifth from his FP1 time, ahead of Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) thanks to his FP2 best. Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) and Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) complete the top ten, the latter from FP2.
Ogura leads by just 3.5 points and it seems to be advantage Fernandez heading into qualifying. Tune in to see the grid decided from 13:30 (GMT+8)!
FRIDAY: TOP 3
1 Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – 2’06.816
2 Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – +0.828
3 Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – +1.051
Foggia and Sasaki split by just 0.070
Two key players in the fight for silver are split by almost nothing on Friday, with Garcia 14th
As the fight for second heats up at Sepang, Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) and Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) led the way at the top of the timesheets, split by just 0.070 on Friday. Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), who leads the battle for silver by two points, had a tougher day down in P14.
Rain hit for other classes but not Moto3™, with the lightweight runners enjoying two dry sessions. Foggia led both sessions and Sasaki’s best in FP1 is the second best overall, with both faster in the morning.
David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) ends the day in third thanks to his FP2 best, ahead of two more from FP1: Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse).
Angeluss MTA teammates Ivan Ortola and Stefano Nepa were next up from FP2, ahead of now-reigning World Champion Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team). Guevara crashed in FP2, rider ok. He was one of seven crashers in the afternoon, including a second spill for Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) after the Japanese rider was the sole faller in FP1.
Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) and Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) complete the top ten.
The rider currently second overall, Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), sits in P14 after Day 1 and will currently be the last rider through directly to Q2. See who’ll make the cut at 9:00 (GMT +11) local time on Saturday morning, before qualifying sets the grid from 12:35!
FRIDAY: TOP 3
1 Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) – Honda – 2’12.226
2 Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) – Husqvarna – +0.070
3 David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) – KTM – +0.388