MotoGP Qatar: Di Giannantonio sets lap record, Acosta in Q1
The newsroomUpdated on November 6, 20264 minFriday in Qatar: Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati) laps Lusail in 1:50.406 ahead of Márquez; Martin is seventh, Acosta 14th and must go through Q1.
Key point
Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati) sets a new Lusail lap record of 1:50.406, 0.142 s ahead of Marc Márquez; Pedro Acosta, 14th, must go through Q1.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati) was the man of Friday at the Qatar MotoGP Grand Prix, setting a new Lusail lap record of 1:50.406. He finished 0.142 s ahead of Marc Márquez (Ducati), the championship leader. Pedro Acosta (KTM) missed the top ten and must go through Q1.
The combined classification
The top ten of Friday's combined classification go straight into Q2:
- Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati): 1:50.406
- Marc Márquez (Ducati): +0.142 s
- Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia): +0.260 s
- Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati): +0.386 s
- Raúl Fernández (Trackhouse Aprilia): +0.608 s
- Enea Bastianini (KTM Tech3): +0.618 s
- Jorge Martin (Aprilia): +0.635 s
- Johann Zarco (Honda LCR): +0.895 s
- Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia): +0.912 s
- Brad Binder (KTM): +1.003 s
According to Autosport, his record lap averages 175.425 km/h. He does not hide a weakness, though: he reckons he is about 10 km/h down on the factory Ducatis in top speed, a gap VR46 boss Pablo Nieto puts at "around 30 horsepower", according to Crash.net.
Márquez saves his session after a broken chain
Márquez's chain came off his first bike with about 27 minutes remaining. He switched to his second machine and was immediately back on the pace: second, and straight into Q2. The championship leader remains the favourite, but nothing is settled: according to Crash.net, he must beat Martin by 30 points and take 8 points out of Bezzecchi to be crowned in Qatar.
Acosta struggles, Martin rides through pain
Fourteenth in 1:51.575, 1.169 s back, Pedro Acosta never threatened the top ten. Autosport calls his Q1 appearance a rare one. Seven other riders will fight for Q2 alongside him, including Fermín Aldeguer (Gresini Ducati), eleventh and only 0.038 s from tenth place, Franco Morbidelli, Luca Marini and Maverick Viñales. Jake Dixon (Honda HRC) was eighteenth, 1.987 s off.
Jorge Martin (Aprilia) was seventh in 1:51.041. Declared fit despite a broken right wrist, he is quick enough to aim for Q2, but his wrist is expected to keep limiting him, according to Crash.net.
Key takeaway
The Lusail lap record fell on Friday, with Di Giannantonio ahead of Márquez. Q1 and Q2 will show whether Acosta can save his weekend.
Frequently asked questions
Who was fastest on Friday at the Qatar MotoGP?
Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati) in 1:50.406, a new Lusail lap record, ahead of Marc Márquez (+0.142 s) and Marco Bezzecchi (+0.260 s).
Is Pedro Acosta through to Q2 directly?
No. Fourteenth in 1:51.575, 1.169 s off the pace, he must go through Q1: only the top ten of the combined classification reach Q2 directly.
How does Jorge Martin stand after practice?
Seventh, 0.635 s back in 1:51.041, so straight into Q2. He was declared fit despite his broken right wrist, but is riding in pain.
Sources
- Crash.net — Qatar Friday practice combined classification
- Autosport — Di Giannantonio on top, Martin and Márquez make Q2
- Crash.net — What we learned after Friday practice
Written by the Karrazmotorsport newsroom, proofread before publication. For settings, always refer to your vehicle's manual. Our charter.
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