"Le Mans MotoGP Qualifying Results: Marini Claims Pole Position with Stunning Lap Time"

2023-05-13 09:41:58

After the night’s rain, the Circuit Bugatti dried out in time for qualifying for the premier class, but the asphalt temperature was only around 20 degrees. Yamaha star Fabio Quartararo initially gave the home crowd hope when he took over the scepter in Q1 with times of 1:31 right from the start.

Halfway through the 15-minute session, VR46 Ducati rider Luca Marini was 0.401 seconds behind in provisional second place, which also seemed to be confirmed by the final chase for times, when Marini again screwed his lap time down a bit.

But then rookie Augusto Fernández surprised two minutes before the end with a 1:31.345 min and even took the lead for a short time.

The decision only came on the last lap with rows of red sectors: Marini took first place with a 1:31.268 min and thus threw Quartararo out of Q2 because the Frenchman had not managed to improve in the second run.

MotoGP result Q1, Le Mans (05/13):

1. Marini, Ducati, 1:31.268 min
2. Augusto Fernández, KTM, + 0.075 sec
3. Quartararo, Yamaha, + 0,098
4. Nakagami, Honda, +0.277
5. Di Giannantonio, Ducati, + 0.450
6. Mir, Honda, +0.542
7. Morbidelli, Yamaha, +0.618
8. Kidneys, Honda, + 0.691
9. Petrucci, Ducati, +0.824
10. Savadori, Aprilia, + 1,142
11. Folger, KTM, + 2,337

MotoGP result FP, Le Mans (13.05.):

1. Vinales, Aprilia, 1:31.898 min
2. Bagnaia, Ducati, + 0.293 sec
3. Miller, KTM, + 0,357
4. Marc Marquez, Honda, +0.491
5. Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, + 0.551
6. Morbidelli, Yamaha, +0.630
7. Martin, Ducati, +0.686
8. Zarco, Ducati, +0.694
9. Quartararo, Yamaha, + 0,702
10. Marini, Ducati, + 0.736
11. Augusto Fernández, KTM, + 0.741
12. Di Giannantonio, Ducati, +0.773
13. Mir, Honda, +0.897
14. Nakagami, Honda, +0.924
15. Alex Márquez, Ducati, + 0,988
16. Brad Binder, KTM, + 0,996
17. Kidneys, Honda, + 1,135
18. Petrucci, Ducati, + 1,440
19. Folger, KTM, + 2,322