Raul Fernandez dominates Friday’s practice for Qatar MotoGP

Raul Fernandez dominates Friday's practice for Qatar MotoGP

Raul Fernandez surprised all by setting the pace at the end of Practice for the Qatar MotoGP as the penultimate round of the season got underway under the lights of the Lusail International Circuit.

RNF Aprilia’s Raul Fernandez dominated the second practice of the Qatar MotoGP weekend, and despite an anxious finish to the session title contenders Bagnaia and Martin secured Q2 spots.

As Friday’s action came to the conclusion the Spaniard led Fabio di Giannantonio by setting the fastest time during the final stages of the session on the CryptoData RNF Racing Aprilia.

Factory Aprilia riders Maverick Vinales, who set the fastest time only to have it canceled due to yellow flags, and Aleix Espargaro made it three RS-GPs inside the top five on an exceptional evening for Aprilia, finishing third and fifth respectively.

Brad Binder emerged as the top KTM rider in fourth place, splitting the Aprilia duo.

The sixth spot was secured by Luca Marini as Prima Pramac’s Jorge Martin topped factory stablemate Pecco Bagnaia by just 0.007 seconds finishing seventh and eighth respectively.

Augusto Fernandez led the GasGas Factory Racing Tech 3 team in ninth place while Marc Marquez was the only Honda rider to secure a spot directly into Q2.

The fastest laps by Bagnaia and Marquez were lost as a result of Espargaro’s previously mentioned crash, which also eliminated Q2-worthy times from riders like Marco Bezzecchi (VR46 Ducati) and Enea Bastianini (Ducati).

They will be a part of a strong Q1 lineup that also includes Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo who was severely compromised by yellow flags, and KTM’s Jack Miller who crashed twice during the session, the second of which took place during the time attacks.

Q1 will also include Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez and Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco who finished no higher than 16th after crashing in the second practice session.

2023 Qatar MotoGP Practice Results

Pos.NameNat.TeamMotorcycleLap Time
1Raul Fernandez🇪🇦CryptoData RNF RacingAprilia RS-GP1m 52.843
2Fabio di Giannantonio🇮🇹Gresini Racing MotoGPDucati GP221m 52.892
3Maverick Vinales🇪🇦Aprilia RacingAprilia RS-GP1m 52.936
4Brad Binder🇿🇦Red Bull KTM Factory RacingKTM RC161m 52.955
5Aleix Espargaro🇪🇦Aprilia RacingAprilia RS-GP1m 53.033
6Luca Marini🇮🇹Mooney VR46 RacingDucati GP221m 53.094
7Jorge Martin🇪🇦Prima Pramac RacingDucati GP231m 53.195
8Pecco Bagnaia🇮🇹Ducati Lenovo TeamDucati GP231m 53.202
9Augusto Fernandez🇪🇦GasGas Factory Racing Tech3KTM RC161m 53.289
10Marc Marquez🇪🇦Repsol Honda TeamHonda RC213V1m 53.323
11Jack Miller🇦🇺Red Bull KTM Factory RacingKTM RC161m 53.337
12Alex Marquez🇪🇦Gresini Racing MotoGPDucati GP221m 53.561
13Franco Morbidelli🇮🇹Monster Energy YamahaYamaha M11m 53.564
14Pol Espargaro🇪🇦GasGas Factory Racing Tech3KTM RC161m 53.696
15Marco Bezzecchi🇮🇹Mooney VR46 RacingDucati GP221m 53.704
16Johann Zarco🇨🇵Prima Pramac RacingDucati GP231m 53.778
17Joan Mir🇪🇦Repsol Honda TeamHonda RC213V1m 53.921
18Enea Bastianini🇮🇹Ducati Lenovo TeamDucati GP231m 53.937
19Miguel Oliveira🇵🇹CryptoData RNF RacingAprilia RS-GP1m 54.005
20Iker Lecuona🇪🇦LCR Honda CastrolHonda RC213V1m 54.254
21Fabio Quartararo🇨🇵Monster Energy YamahaYamaha M11m 54.260
22Takaaki Nakagami🇯🇵LCR Honda IDEMITSUHonda RC213V1m 54.441

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