British MotoGP, Silverstone - Free Practice (4) Results

Free Practice (4) results from the British MotoGP at Silverstone, round 12 (of 20) in the 2022 world championship.
Johann Zarco, British MotoGP, 6 August
Johann Zarco, British MotoGP, 6 August
British MotoGP, Silverstone - Free Practice (4) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP22)1'59.005s9/12333k
2Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+0.050s9/12333k
3Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo (GP22)+0.101s5/13336k
4Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.292s3/13331k
5Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.327s5/12329k
6Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP22)+0.533s10/12336k
7Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.701s11/12330k
8Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP21)*+0.730s8/12334k
9Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.747s5/11332k
10Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.821s10/13336k
11Enea BastianiniITAGresini Ducati (GP21)+0.967s11/12336k
12Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+1.019s2/2330k
13Remy GardnerAUSKTM Tech3 (RC16)*+1.159s5/10329k
14Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+1.191s5/10332k
15Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+1.225s10/13327k
16Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.432s8/12330k
17Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+1.458s2/11333k
18Stefan BradlGERRepsol Honda (RC213V)+1.546s6/12331k
19Fabio Di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP21)*+1.683s8/13331k
20Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+1.751s6/12331k
21Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP22)+1.782s3/11335k
22Darryn BinderRSAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)*+1.811s3/10328k
23Andrea DoviziosoITAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)+2.480s5/11328k
24Raul FernandezSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)*+3.760s3/7328k

* Rookie
Official Silverstone MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 1m 58.168s (2019)
Fastest race lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 1m 59.936s (2019)

Johann Zarco returned to the top during Free Practice 4 for the British MotoGP at Silverstone, which saw title contender Aleix Espargaro taken away on a stretcher after a massive early highside through the fast Farm curve.

The Aprilia rider, quickest heading into the session, was thrown off at 100 mph (160km/h) in the opening minutes while trying the hard rear tyre. After being carried to the side of the track, the Spaniard was fortunately back on his feet, albeit with a marshal on either side to hold him up.

Espargaro was still clearly in pain as he was helped by two Aprilia team members into the Silverstone Medical Centre. Fortunately, X-rays found no fractures and - having been declared 'fit' - Espargaro limped out to a team scooter to prepare for qualifying.

Takaaki Nakagami fell at a similar place (a lowside) midway through the half-hour FP4 session, the LCR rider walking away unharmed.

Meanwhile, Jack Miller led most of the session on the soft front and medium rear tyres, and new 'pokemon' rear wings.

Espargaro's team-mate Maverick Vinales then put the lone remaining RS-GP briefly on top, before Johann Zarco edged 0.050s under.

Miguel Oliveira completed a promising session in fourth for Red Bull KTM, having been second to Miller much of the time, with world champion Fabio Quartararo and Zarco's Pramac team-mate Jorge Martin completing the top six.

Raul Fernandez pulled off track with clouds of smoke coming from the back of his Tech3 KTM in the opening minutes of the session.

Medium tyres, front and rear, were the preferred choice, with a scattering of soft fronts and hard rears. The likes of Nakagami and LCR team-mate Alex Marquez also tried the soft rear.

Qualifying 1, for those outside the top ten after third free practice, will now get underway.

Remote video URL

Fabio Quartararo starts the British MotoGP, the first event after the summer break, with a reduced 21-point lead over Aleix Espargaro after suffering a first DNF of the season at Assen.

Crucially, the French star will also need to serve a Long Lap penalty in Sunday’s Silverstone race as punishment for forcing Espargaro off-track during the misjudged pass, which ended with the Yamaha rider on the ground before a second accident ended his Dutch drama.

Both Quartararo and Espargaro have good memories of Silverstone from last year, when Quartararo won from the Suzuki of Alex Rins and Espargaro held off the Ducati of Jack Miller to claim the RS-GP’s first-ever MotoGP podium.

Espargaro and Aprilia’s spectacular season means, despite the Assen incident and handing away another near-certain rostrum in Barcelona, the Spaniard arrives in the UK seeking a sixth podium and second win of the year.

Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco is best of the rest in third, albeit 58 points from Quartararo and still seeking a long overdue premier-class win, with Factory Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia eight points behind after taking three wins and three DNFs in the last six races.

Silverstone will be Bagnaia’s first MotoGP event since his drink-driving incident in Ibiza.

Enea Bastianini (Gresini Ducati) and Jorge Martin (Pramac) remain locked in battle to be Bagnaia’s 2023 team-mate, with Silverstone likely to be their last chance to impress before an end-of-August decision is made.

Triple race winner Bastianini has slipped to fifth in the standings after his early season heroics, with 2021 winner Martin currently eleventh with two second-places.

Just two points separate Brad Binder and future KTM team-mate Miller in the fight for sixth in the championship, with the same slim margin splitting Joan Mir and Alex Rins in their last season as Suzuki team-mates.

While Rins officially confirmed a switch to LCR Honda during the summer break, Mir’s expected move to Repsol Honda in place of Pol Espargaro is still to be confirmed.

With Marc Marquez still recovering from his latest arm surgery, Espargaro – tipped to make a return to KTM and Tech3 next season - is again partnered by HRC test rider Stefan Bradl this weekend.
 

2022 British MotoGP, Silverstone - Race weekend schedule (UK time)

Friday August 5

9am - Moto3 Free Practice 1

9.55am - MotoGP Free Practice 1

10.55am - Moto2 Free Practice 1

1.15pm - Moto3 Free Practice 2

2.10pm - MotoGP Free Practice 2

3.10pm - Moto2 Free Practice 2

 

Saturday August 6

9am - Moto3 Free Practice 3

9.55am - MotoGP Free Practice 3

10.55am - Moto2 Free Practice 2

12.35pm - Moto3 Qualifying 1

1pm - Moto3 Qualifying 2

1.30pm - MotoGP Free Practice 4

2.10pm - MotoGP Qualifying 1

2.35pm - MotoGP Qualifying 2

3.10pm - Moto2 Qualifying 1

3.35pm - Moto2 Qualifying 2

 

Sunday August 7

9.20am - Moto3 warm-up

9.40am - MotoGP warm-up

10.10am - Moto2 warm-up

11.20am - Moto3 race

1pm - MotoGP race

2.30pm - Moto2 race


 

Assen: MotoGP World Championship standings
Pos RiderNatTeamPointsDiff.
1=Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)172 
2=Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)151(-21)
3=Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP22)114(-58)
4^2Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP22)106(-66)
5˅1Enea BastianiniITAGresini Ducati (GP21)105(-67)
6˅1Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)93(-79)
7=Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo (GP22)91(-81)
8^1Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)77(-95)
9˅1Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)75(-97)
10=Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)71(-101)
11=Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP22)70(-102)
12^2Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)62(-110)
13˅1Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)60(-112)
14^3Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP21)*55(-117)
15˅2Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)52(-120)
16=Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)42(-130)
17˅2Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)40(-132)
18=Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)27(-145)
19=Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)25(-147)
20=Fabio di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP21)*18(-154)
21=Darryn 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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