FP2

The free practice 2 is the last practice session, where riders can try different configuration of tyres before the qualification. Riders mostly use it as a warm up, so they can attack early on in the qualification.

The first measured times started in a time range of 1:30s to 1:32. Just like yesterday, there was a graphic showing the rear tyre temperature throughout the lap. So far the top 10 looked as following: Bezzecchi, Espargaro, Bagnaia, Márquez, Acosta, Mir, Miller, Morbidelli, Di Giannantonio, Raul Fernandez.

So far the times in top 16 were all in time range of 1:30s. The positions didn’t change much in the top 10. Espargaro continued to impress everyone, sitting in 3rd place. The riders mostly chose medium rear tyre just like yesterday, with some having either soft or medium tyre at the front.

While most riders returned to the pits, few riders stayed on track. Like Fabio Quartararo who was trying to improve his time and get into the top 10, being unsuccessful. He was even struggling with the front of the bike.

With 8 minutes left of the session, the top 10 looked as following: Bezzecchi, Morbidelli, Acosta, Espargaro, Bagnaia, Márquez, Ogura, Mir, Fernandez, Di Giannantonio. Meanwhile Bagnaia was the first rider to break into 1:29s taking the lead of the session for now.

With 3 minutes left, there was first yellow flag of the session, caused by Pedro Acosta crashing at Turn 4. With the chequered flag out, the riders finished their last attempts, and on a late push, Ai Ogura took the lead of the session. The top 10 finished like thus: Ogura, Bagnaia, Bezzecchi, Morbidelli, Acosta, Márquez, Quartararo, Aldeguer, Espargaro, Raul Fernandez.

Q1

The riders starting in this part of qualifying were: Binder, Raul Fernandez, Espargaro, Bagnaia, Zarco, Marini, Rins, Vinales, Bastianini, Augusto Fernandez, Oliveira, Martin, Chantra, Bulega.
The tyre configuration was the same for everyone, with soft at the front and back. The fastest two riders will advance to Q2. 3 minutes into the session there was first yellow flag, caused by Augusto Fernandez crashing out.

The first times started in time range of 1:29 to 1:32s. So far the riders in advancing positions were Raul Fernandez and Zarco. With 8 minutes left, the riders were all in the pits, before their final push.

Bagnaia was able to find improvement and he moved to 2nd place. However, Fernandez started fast lap, and so did Martin before he was slower in sector 2. Raul Fernandez improved his time and almost got into 1:28s time range. Bagnaia who had started good lap, was seen having technical difficulties and had to retire from the session. Shortly after, Binder improved and jumped to 2nd place, pushing Bagnaia out of the advancing positions.

However, the riders in 2nd place kept changing fast, while only Fernandez in first place remained the same. Now it was Zarco who could advance to Q2. And with the chequered flag out, the riders finished their last attempts. Marini was unable to improve and finished in 3rd place.

Overall, there weren’t any drastic improvement. So Raul Fernandez and Zarco advanced to Q2. While Bagnaia finished in 6th place with Martin in 7th.

Q2

In this part of quali were: Acosta, Bezzecchi, Morbidelli, Márquez, Ogura, Miller, Di Giannantonio, Aldeguer, Mir, Quartararo, Fernandez, Zarco.
The first measured times started in time range of 1:29 to 1:30s. Bezzecchi was seen going wide onto the gravel at turn 2. Meanwhile Acosta took the provisional pole position from the start with Raul Fernandez in 2nd place.

But the lead kept changing with each lap as the times got faster. Márquez was the first rider to get into 1:28s time range, taking the provisional pole position. So far the positions looked as following: Márquez, Morbidelli, Quartararo, Acosta, Raul Fernandez, Di Giannantonio, Ogura, Mir, Bezzecchi, Miller, Aldeguer, Zarco.

After a quick stop in the pits, the riders returned on track for their final push. Bezzecchi found improvement and he moved to provisional pole position, while Quartararo improved his time to be in 3rd place.

And the positions started to change, Di Giannantonio jumped to 3rd place with Acosta now in 4th. Yet Acosta started fast lap and he could improve even more, sadly he was slower in other sectors and didn’t find improvement.

And with the chequered flag out the riders were finishing their last laps. And it was official Bezzecchi took the pole position for the Valencia Grand Prix.