MotoGP: Rins over Marquez in Friday Qatar practice

The 2022 MotoGP World Championship season officially got underway in Qatar, the MotoGP teams eagerly returning to the racetrack after the winter break. As always, conditions around the Losail International Circuit improved over the course of the opening day, the first session held under daylight and the second session held at night, under the lights.

Alex Rins, topped the timesheets on Day 1 of 2022 as MotoGP returned to blistering action at the Grand Prix of Qatar. The Spaniard set a 1:53.432 under the lights in FP2 to lead Marc Marquez by 0.035s, as Joan Mir completed the top three.

“Overall I think we are in a better position than we were expecting and I think that a good target for us tomorrow is to aim for the front two rows,” said Marquez.

“We still need to understand how to improve our rhythm a bit to close the gap to the top. I feel like I am riding quite ‘clean’, I am still working to understand the front of the new bike so my riding does not yet look like ‘Marquez style’ but the lap time is coming. It’s about being patient, it’s very early in the season and this is normally a track where we struggle a bit. It’s still Friday though, the weekend has just started. Today I pushed, tomorrow I will push again.”

Marc Marquez. Photo Courtesy of the Repsol Honda Team

Qatar Grand Prix Friday Practice Results

Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Constructor Time/Gap
1 Rins Alex 42 SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki 1’53.432
2 Marquez Marc 93 SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 0.035
3 Mir Joan 36 SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki 0.147
4 Martin Jorge 89 SPA Pramac Racing Ducati 0.220
5 Morbidelli Franco 21 ITA Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 0.413
6 Miller Jack 43 AUS Ducati Lenovo Team Ducati 0.438
7 Espargaro Aleix 41 SPA Aprilia Racing Aprilia 0.454
8 Quartararo Fabio 20 FRA Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 0.474
9 Espargaro Pol 44 SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 0.531
10 Bagnaia Francesco 62 ITA Ducati Lenovo Team Ducati 0.539
11 Bastianini Enea 23 ITA Team Gresini Racing MotoGP Ducati 0.581
12 Nakagami Takaaki 30 JPN LCR Honda Honda 0.606
13 Oliveira Miguel 88 POR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 0.621
14 Dovizioso Andrea 4 ITA WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team Yamaha 0.721
15 Binder Brad 33 RSA Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 0.815
16 Marquez Alex 73 SPA LCR Honda Honda 1.043
17 Vinales Maverick 12 SPA Aprilia Racing Aprilia 1.092
18 Zarco Johann 5 FRA Pramac Racing Ducati 1.133
19 Fernandez Raul 25 SPA Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing KTM 1.452
20 Bezzecchi Marco 73 ITA Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati 1.468
21 Gardner Remy 87 AUS Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing KTM 1.497
22 Di Giannantonio Fabio 49 ITA Team Gresini Racing MotoGP Ducati 1.939
23 Marini Luca 10 ITA Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati 2.343
24 Binder Darryn 40 RSA WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team Yamaha 2.483