All you need to know about third MotoGP practice at Jerez

Ducati MotoGP rider Francesco Bagnaia led points leader Fabio Quartararo by 0.006s in the third premier-class practice session of the Spanish Grand Prix weekend at Jerez.

Key moments:

> Bagnaia back on form

> Marquez arrests his slump

> Rins to Q1

> Three Honda crashes

Bagnaia set his 1m36.782s with 15 minuets to go, and his benchmark withstood a late barrage from Quartararo, whose post-chequered flag bid to depose the Italian came up just short.

The two Hondas of LCR rider Takaaki Nakagami and factory man Marc Marquez completed the top four around a tenth behind the duo, albeit Marquez had looked well off the pace for much of the session before capitalising on a tow from the Ducati of Jack Miller to book his Q2 spot.

Fair game 🤝#SpanishGP 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/E9lrjlJZ9K

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 30, 2022

The two Aprilias of Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro also advanced to Q2 in fifth and seventh respectively, with Gresini Ducati’s Enea Bastianini between them.

The final three automatic Q2 spots went to Joan Mir (Suzuki), Jorge Martin (Pramac Ducati) and Miller, with VR46 Ducati rookie Marco Bezzecchi missing out by a tenth.

Suzuki’s Alex Rins, level on points the top of the standings with Quartararo, will have to face Q1, as will Quartararo’s works team-mate Franco Morbidelli – despite Rins and Morbidelli being just half a second off the Frenchman’s pace.

The entire KTM contingent – down to three riders this weekend due to Raul Fernandez’s lingering hand injury – will also contest Q1.

There were three crashes during the session, and all three came courtesy of Honda riders in the final minutes.

Wildcard Stefan Bradl, LCR rider Alex Marquez – who had one of his bikes expire on track early in the session – and works rider Pol Espargaro fell late on, the latter having been on a lap that may have taken him directly into Q2.

Practice 3 Results