French Grand Prix: Marc Marquez denied dream return as Francesco Bagnaia snatches pole at the death
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Published 13/05/2023 at 10:38 GMT
Marc Marquez was pipped to pole by world champion Francesco Bagnaia in a thrilling conclusion to French Grand Prix qualifying. The Spaniard, making his return from injury after being out since the opening race of the season, looked set to finish top of the pile until Bagnaia stormed through at the death to set the fastest time. Luca Marini rounded off the front row after coming through Q1.
Pecco Bagnaia insieme a Marc Marquez, GP Francia, Circuito Le Mans, Getty Images
Image credit: Getty Images
MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) denied the returning Marc Marquez (Honda) at the death to take his second pole position of the 2023 season at the French Grand Prix.
The Italian, who leads the Riders’ Championship standings by 22 points after four races, left it late to set the fastest time in a Q2 session that also saw Aleix Espargaro suffer a nasty crash.
“It wasn’t easy, also for the problems we had yesterday with the bike, this morning too,” Bagnaia said. “But everything went well.
"We started having the same feeling as always, and I’m very happy. I was expecting to go 1:31 and 1:30.7 is a really great lap time.”
Six-time world champion Marquez was competing in his first qualifying session since breaking his thumb in a collision with Miguel Oliveira in the season opener in Portimao, and he was a whisker away from a dream return.
Marquez took provisional pole with 26 seconds remaining in the session, but he was soon bumped down to second by Bagnaia, who clocked a time of 1:30.705 with his final run, 0.058 seconds ahead of the Spaniard.
Luca Marini (Mooney VR46) came through Q1 to take third place and earn a place on the front row, 0.137 seconds off Bagnaia’s pace.
Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) was on provisional pole with three minutes remaining, but tumbled down the standings when his bike suffered mechanical problems in the pit lane, leaving him unable to make a final run.
Espargaro was travelling at around 200 mph when he came off his bike through the first corner, but he was able to walk away from the nasty crash.
Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM) will head row two in fourth place, with Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac) fifth and Vinales sixth.
Espargaro (Aprilia) was thrown off his bike on turn one during the practice session, leading to a yellow flag, and finished in 11th place.
Bagnaia has won two of the four races so far this season, including last time out in Spain, but this was just his second pole of 2023.
In Q1, Fabio Quartararo failed to advance after losing out to Marini and impressive rookie Augusto Fernandez, and he will start 13th for the Saturday Sprint race and Sunday’s Grand Prix.
French GP Q2 qualifying results
- 1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) – 1:30.705
- 2. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) - +0.058
- 3. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46) – +0.137
- 4. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory) - +0.279
- 5. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac) - +0.318
- 6. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) - +0.415
- 7. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46) - +0.468
- 8. Alex Marquez (Gresini) - +0.570
- 9. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac) - +0.593
- 10. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory) - +0.740
- 11. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) - +0.818
- 12. Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) - +0.891
Scan me
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement