Indonesian MotoGP, Mandalika - Saturday Practice & Qualifying as it happened

Round two of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship heads to the newly-built Mandalika International Circuit, marking MotoGP’s return to Indonesia for the first time since 1997. 

After hosting the WorldSBK season finale in late November, Mandalika will now play host to MotoGP for its second official event following a three-day pre-season test which took place last month. 

With track surface and safety concerns being hot topics of discussion following the test, the Mandalika circuit has undergone further resurfacing, while tweaks to the circuit's edges have also taken place. 

Areas that have not yet been completed include sections of the paddock which are likely to remain unfinished as the event takes place. 

Leading the championship heading into round two is Gresini Racing Ducati’s Enea Bastianini, after the Italian took a sensational maiden win in Qatar. 

A consistent podium threat during the final few races of 2021, Bastianini has already taken a step forward as he looks to build on a promising start to 2022, a year that might see him become a real title contender?

Second at Lusail was KTM’s Brad Binder, who like Bastianini has made his best start to a MotoGP season.

Binder’s podium was not only his first in Qatar since 2016, but also the Austrian manufacturer’s first ever premier class podium at the Lusail International Circuit. 

Rounding out the podium was Pol Espargaro who continued his impressive form from pre-season testing. Espargaro led 17 of the 22 laps, and after topping the Mandalika test, the Spaniard starts this weekend as a firm favourite for victory. 

While the opening round went well for all three riders mentioned, title favourites Fabio Quartararo and Francesco Bagnaia had disappointing weekends.  

Quartararo, who lacked pace throughout the weekend especially when it came to qualifying trim, could only manage ninth after being pipped to the line by Johann Zarco. 

Top speed issues continue to plague Quartararo and Yamaha as the Frenchman was regularly at the bottom of the speed charts, while Bagnaia crashed and wiped out another pre-race favourite and pole sitter Jorge Martin. 

One of the expected 2022 title contenders that did manage to claim a top five was Marc Marquez as he got the better of Joan Mir for fifth place.

Update: Quartararo heads into Saturday's qualifying day at Mandalika fastest after leading a factory Yamaha 1-2 during second practice. P. Espargaro was quickest in FP1.