MotoGP: Marco Bezzecchi pips pole position in India

After Friday’s Practice, Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) was the fastest rider on the Buddh International Circuit, ahead of his teammate Marco Bezzecchi. For the first time this season, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) were both through to Q2. Some big names had to go through Q1 after late yellow flags cancelling Brad Binder’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) lap time.

Qualifying 1

Brad Binder was the fastest rider early on, putting the factory KTM RC16 through its paces in an unusual Q1. Binder set the fastest lap time of the weekend and a new lap record with a 1:44.761. Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team) occupied the second slot at the top in Q1 after his first lap.

The session continued with the track evolving each lap in the first weekend in India for the Grand Prix paddock. Riders pitting with seven minutes remaining, and exciting for two flying laps.

The Gresini Ducati duo were briefly at the top of the timesheets, knocking Binder out of the top spot. Fernandez jumped up the order onto the top spot to the delight of the RNF Aprilia team.

At the end of the session, Raul Fernandez, and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) would go through to Q2 for the final shootout. Marquez suffered a crash in the final minutes, bringing out the yellow flag and cancelling Binder’s lap time.

Qualifying 2

The Ducatis dominated in the first handful of laps, with Ducati locking out the top three positions. Marc Marquez did not set a fast lap time in his first run, after crashing on his first flying lap. His brother, Alex Marquez did not make his way onto the track after his crash in Q1.

Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) was the top non-Ducati at the start of Q2 and was ahead of Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP).

In the second run, Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) hit the top with the first-ever 1:43.947 lap time around the Buddh circuit. This lap time was quick enough to secure the Italian the first-ever Indian Grand Prix.

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Ducati) was in second position, and ahead of Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). The front row of the grid is a Ducati lockout with a Ducati on pole for the ninth consecutive race. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) qualified in fourth position for an exciting Grand Prix.

The Repsol Honda duo were in fifth and sixth position, showing one of their best qualifying performances this season. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Ducati) had a quiet qualifying in seventh, ending the session ahead of fellow Frenchman Quartararo. The three Aprilias would round off the session after Alex Marquez did not set a time.

A new circuit with a new race in store, tension’s building for the Sprint and the MotoGP Race on Sunday. The Sprint Race has been reduced by one lap (11 laps) and the main race has been reduced by three laps (21 laps)

Image credit: motogp.com