2022 Dutch MotoGP, Assen - Free Practice (3) Results

Free Practice (3) results from the Dutch MotoGP at Assen, round 11 (of 20) in the 2022 world championship.
Aleix Espargaro, Dutch MotoGP, 25 June
Aleix Espargaro, Dutch MotoGP, 25 June
Dutch MotoGP, Assen - Free Practice (3) Results
Pos RiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1^24Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)1'32.164s17/19308k
2=Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.041s18/22301k
3=Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.156s18/20307k
4^7Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+0.191s21/21305k
5^4Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP21)*+0.218s18/20309k
6˅5Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP22)+0.276s15/20312k
7˅1Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+0.323s18/22308k
8^8Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP22)+0.428s20/21308k
9˅1Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP22)+0.562s16/18308k
10˅6Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo (GP22)+0.714s14/19311k
11˅6Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.798s16/20303k
12^7Fabio Di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP21)*+0.835s15/17307k
13^4Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.872s14/16300k
14˅7Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.964s14/18302k
15=Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.984s18/19306k
16˅4Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+1.013s10/14308k
17˅7Enea BastianiniITAGresini Ducati (GP21)+1.097s12/15315k
18^2Lorenzo SavadoriITAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+1.117s21/21304k
19˅5Andrea DoviziosoITAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)+1.182s21/23301k
20˅7Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+1.441s16/20308k
21=Remy GardnerAUSKTM Tech3 (RC16)*+1.475s15/19306k
22^1Stefan BradlGERRepsol Honda (RC213V)+2.016s15/19304k
23^1Raul FernandezSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)*+2.459s15/19302k
24˅2Darryn BinderRSAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)*+2.793s12/19303k

Key:
^X Rider is X positions higher than FP2.
= Rider is same position as FP2.
˅X Rider is X positions lower than FP2.

* Rookie

Official Assen MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 1m 33.617s (2015)
Fastest race lap:
Fabio Quartararo FRA Yamaha 1m 32.869s (2021)

Aleix Espargaro and Aprilia take control during Free Practice 3 for the Dutch MotoGP at a dry and sunny Assen.

The improved weather meant Friday afternoon's damp laps were soon replaced, with Maverick Vinales and Espargaro forming an Aprilia one-two ahead of Fabio Quartararo's Yamaha in the early stages.

Quartararo was sandwiched between the RS-GPs by the halfway mark, while Vinales remained on top until Espargaro - stripped of his fastest Friday laps after Aprilia failed to remove the rear swingarm rain spoiler after switching to slicks - used a new soft rear tyre to return to the top with 12 minutes to go.

The Aprilia show continued with Vinales briefly retaking P1, before Espargaro snatched it back.

Despite a late fall, Espargaro remained fastest to the chequered flag, finishing just 0.041s ahead of Quartararo with Vinales completing a top three covered by just 0.057s on his final lap.... until being stripped of his best time after the session, dropping him to seventh.

The injured Alex Rins was best of the rest for Suzuki, 0.156s from the top in what became third, with Takaaki Nakagami also impressing as top Honda in fourth and Marco Bezzecchi the lead rookie for VR46 Ducati in fifth.

The top ten riders after FP3 (combined times) receive direct access to the second and final part of qualifying, with Rins' team-mate Joan Mir among those heading for Qualifying 1.

Riders directly to Qualifying 2 - Top 10 Combined Practice Times:
PosRiderNatTeam
1Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Factory (RS-GP)
2Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
3Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
4Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)
5Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP21)
6Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP22)
7Maverick VinalesSPAAprilia Factory (RS-GP)
8Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo (GP22)
9Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP22)
10Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP22)

Luca Marini fell in the opening minutes, with countryman Franco Morbidelli - already facing a long lap penalty in the race for obstructing other riders on Friday - lucky to escape uninjured from a high-speed accident at Turn 15.

Enea Bastianini suffered a fast accident at Turn 7 on the edge of the last ten minutes, but was back out for the final stages. Gresini team-mate Fabio di Giannantonio then made it four Italians on the floor, before Johann Zarco and finally Espargaro also brought out the yellows.

Medium tyres were the favoured choice for race pace work in FP3, with a scattering of softs.

After severe pain from his injured ribs on Friday, Pol Espargaro has withdrawn from the remainder of the Assen weekend.

Remote video URL

Fabio Quartararo starts the Dutch TT at Assen, the final event before the MotoGP summer break, holding a 34-point lead over Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro and 61-point advantage over Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco.

That means, whatever happens on Sunday, the Yamaha star will remain at the head of the world championship table during the holidays, but the young Frenchman would no doubt love to close the opening ‘half’ with a repeat of last year’s Assen victory.

While Quartararo has built up breathing room at the top, the likes of Gresini Ducati’s Enea Bastianini (-72 points) and especially factory Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia have suffered badly in recent rounds and will be desperate to steady the ship with a podium return in The Netherlands.

A dark horse could be Espargaro’s team-mate Maverick Vinales, who finished second to then team-mate Quartararo (from pole position) at Assen last season and arrives fresh from his best race showing on the RS-GP, until hitting ride height problems in Germany.

Alex Rins is returning to action after being forced to abandon a comeback from his fractured wrist at Sachsenring last weekend.

Meanwhile, the notorious Assen weather is set to keep riders and teams on their toes throughout the weekend.

Dutch MotoGP race weekend schedule (UK time)

Friday 24 June

8am-8.40am - Moto3 Free Practice 1

8.55am-9.40am - MotoGP Free Practice 1

9.55am-10.35am - Moto2 Free Practice 1

12.15pm -12.55pm - Moto3 Free Practice 2

1.10pm-1.55pm - MotoGP Free Practice 2

2.10pm-2.50pm - Moto2 Free Practice 2

Saturday 25 June

8am-8.40am - Moto3 Free Practice 3

8.55am-9.40am - MotoGP Free Practice 3

9.55am-10.35am - Moto2 Free Practice 3

11.35am-11.50am - Moto3 Qualifying 1

12pm-12.15pm - Moto3 Qualifying 2

12.30-1pm - MotoGP Free Practice 4

1.10pm-1.25pm - MotoGP Qualifying 1

1.35pm-1.50pm - MotoGP Qualifying 2

2.10pm-2.25pm - Moto2 Qualifying 1

2.35pm-2.50pm - Moto2 Qualifying 2

Sunday 26 June

8am-8.10am - Moto3 warm-up

8.20am-8.30am - Moto2 warm-up

8.40am-9am - MotoGP warm-up

10am - Moto3 race

11.20am - Moto2 race

1pm - MotoGP race


 

Sachsenring: MotoGP World Championship standings
Pos RiderNatTeamPointsDiff.
1=Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)172 
2=Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)138(-34)
3^1Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP22)111(-61)
4˅1Enea BastianiniITAGresini Ducati (GP21)100(-72)
5^1Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)82(-90)
6˅1Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP22)81(-91)
7^2Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo (GP22)81(-91)
8˅1Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)69(-103)
9˅1Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)69(-103)
10^1Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)64(-108)
11^1Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP22)61(-111)
12˅2Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)60(-112)
13^1Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)52(-120)
14˅1Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)46(-126)
15=Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)40(-132)
16=Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)38(-134)
17=Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP21)*35(-137)
18=Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)26(-146)
19=Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)25(-147)
20^1Fabio di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP21)*16(-156)
21˅1Darryn BinderRSAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)*10(-162)
22=Andrea DoviziosoITAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)10(-162)
23=Remy GardnerAUSKTM Tech3 (RC16)*9(-163)
24=Raul FernandezSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)*5(-167)

 

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