Miller on pole at Misano | MotoGP/2/3 Qualifying Results/Reports

MotoGP 2022 – Round 14 – Misano
Qualifying Reports/Results

Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) has become the eighth different pole-sitter of the season after a true thriller of a qualifying session at Misano, with rain threatening and some falling but slicks winning out in the end. It’s Miller’s first pole in four years and second ever in the premier class, and he took it by just 0.015 to become the eighth different polesitter of 2022.

The rider Miller pipped to the post was team-mate Francesco Bagnaia, and behind those two, Gresini’s Enea Bastianini was third quickest exactly a tenth off the number 63. Still, the ‘Beast’ will start second as Pecco takes a three-place grid penalty for being slow on the line in FP1. Rookie Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), who made a late lunge into fourth, will therefore complete the front row ahead of Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and Bagnaia in P5.

Q1

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) set the initial benchmark in the opening 15 minutes of qualifying before Bezzecchi set a 1:31.961 to go top. Having been threatening all afternoon, spots of rain then started to fall with eight minutes to go, with Bezzecchi and Martin sitting inside the all-important top two.

With three and a half minutes to go, Luca Marini jumped ahead of Martin to make it a Mooney VR46 Racing Team 1-2 – and the Italian couldn’t have timed it any better. The rain had started to fall heavier as the riders all had to pull out of their final flying laps, meaning Bezzecchi and Marini were heading into Q2, seeing Martin miss out by 0.011s.

Q2

Tensions were high ahead of the 15-minute pole position fight, with most of the riders starting the session on wet Michelin tyres – all but Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). And straight away the Portuguese rider was three seconds quicker than Bagnaia with the Italian on wet tyres, it was now clear the slick tyres were the correct choice.

Bagnaia, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) – the top three in the World Championship – were some of the last to venture out on slicks. Meanwhile, Bezzecchi had gone fastest by half a second before Miller moved the goalposts, the Australian briefly sat 0.7s quicker than anyone before Oliveira cut the gap to 0.2s.

As expected, the times were tumbling lap by lap. Bezzecchi blitzed his way to provisional pole before Bastianini found a 1:33.812 to go quickest. Miller then split the Italians to slot into P2, 0.021s off Bastianini’s time, as red sector times littered to timing screens. Miller and Bastianini exchanged P1 again before Bagnaia took over top spot with a 1:32.413, as Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) decided it was his turn to lead the session. Viñales then gatecrashed the Ducati party to go second, 0.090s off Zarco, as Championship leader Quartararo found himself P7 with just over a minute to go.

That became P5 heading onto his final lap, but the Frenchman was half a second away from provisional pole. A 1:31.899 from Miller was the new time to beat but teammate Bagnaia was 0.083s under his time at the third split. Was it enough? Not quite. Pecco went into P2 with Bezzecchi going third, Marini made a late charge into the top six before Viñales jumped up to P5, but no one was able to better Miller on Saturday in Misano.

The Grid

Despite qualifying second, Bagnaia will launch from P5 for the San Marino GP after his mistake in FP1. That means Bastianini will start from the middle of the front row in P2, and fourth qualifier Bezzecchi moves up a row to line up third. Viñales is the final rider to benefit from Pecco’s penalty, the Spaniard will be eyeing at least a podium from P4 with Bagnaia – crucially – starting ahead of his main title rivals in fifth. Zarco joins Viñales and Bagnaia on the second row in sixth.

Marini leads the third row ahead of the top two in the World Championship: Quartararo and Aleix Espargaro. It wasn’t the Q2 they would have been looking for, but it will make for very interesting viewing to see how the Yamaha and Aprilia stars progress on Sunday afternoon. Oliveira, Franco Morbidelli and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) complete the top 12.

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All the drama from Q2 gears us up for a tantalising encounter as Bagnaia aims to become the first Ducati rider to win four in a row, Miller is hungry for a win, and Aleix Espargaro aims to cut the gap to Quartararo, or will the Yamaha man surprise from behind…

Jack Miller – P1

“The track wasn’t in too bad condition, the rain had sort of disappeared there. But as soon as I rolled out, pit lane at the beginning of the session was completely wet, this old asphalt, but as soon as I got on the new stuff, I was like, ‘Wow, this is completely dry; I’ve made the wrong decision here, I might miss the window,’ so there was some urgency to get back, get on the other bike and get back out there. But no, we were able to get the job done, lap after lap after lap just feeling it out, and to do that lap time in these kind of conditions, I was pretty happy with that. I messed up the next one so I was just hoping and praying that it was enough, but it was finally. I was cruising around, trying not to get in anyone’s way, and trying to watch the tele at the same time to sort of understand where I was and I had a few nervous moments. But, awesome to have my second pole in MotoGP, it’s been a long time since the last one, so it’s an awesome feeling, especially to do it here at home for Ducati.”

2022 Misano MotoGP Qualifying Results

MotoGP Championship Points Standings

Moto2

Mooney VR46 Racing Team’s Celestino Vietti held on to Moto2 pole at the Gran Premio Gryfyn di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, despite a late crash. The Italian was sitting on a 1:35.996 with the chequered flag out on Q2 at Misano when he lost the front at Turn 8, but no one was able to steal pole off him.

Vietti will share the front row with Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) and Alonso Lopez (+Ego Speed Up) in a top three covered by just under two tenths of a second. Importantly, he is two rows ahead of the two riders ahead of him in the World Championship, namely Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo).

MarcVDS stand-in rider Senna Agius qualified 25th.

2022 Misano Moto2 Qualifying Results

Moto2 Championship Points Standings

Moto3

Despite a sore shoulder from a crash in training, Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) produced the goods in a tricky Moto3 Q2 session at the Gran Premio Gryfyn di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini to claim pole, the Turk beating Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) by 0.023s and third place Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) by just 0.024s in a rain-affected Q2. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) is fourth and still only 0.040 off the top after an incredibly close session at Misano.

Straight after we saw David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), Lorenzo Fellon, the Frenchman’s SIC58 Squadra Corse teammate Riccardo Rossi and Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3) come through Q1, light rain started to fall at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. The rain flags were still out when the Q2 runners rumbled out of pitlane, but it wasn’t heavy enough to head out on wet tyres – a tense 15 minutes were coming up for the Moto3 pole position contenders.

The first laps were set as Moreira and Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) set identical times – a 1:44.254. But that time didn’t last long as the effort to beat. Rossi shot to P1 with a 1:43.195 to lead Öncü by just under a tenth, before Guevara set a new benchmark to lead the session by 0.108s with seven minutes to go.

The times were tumbling every lap as the riders got to grips with the iffy conditions. Moreira was back at the summit with Öncü second, with Yamanaka going third. With a minute left, Guevara again made his way up to P1 but it was short-lived. Moreira and Yamanaka went 1-2 to shove Guevara to P3 with one last time attack available.

Pushing out of the final corner, Guevara lost the rear slightly and was unable to improve his time. However, Öncü produced a last lap stunner to claim pole position, and Holgado pinched second off Moreira as the top four were split by a slender 0.040s.

Behind the top three of Öncü, Holgado and Moreira, Yamanaka is the rider leading the second row as the Japanese rider missed out on a front row start by 0.016s. Guevara slipped to P5 by the end of the session, with compatriot Carlos Tatay (CFMOTO Racing PrüstelGP) joining the rider second in the title race on the second row.

Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) will launch from P7 on home turf, the Italian has John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) and Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) alongside him, while Fernandez rounded out the top 10 after progressing through Q1.

It was another difficult qualifying session for World Championship leader Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) as the Spaniard is forced to settle for P13 on the grid – work to do for Garcia, but he always brings an extra sprinkle of speed on race day. Austria winner Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max), meanwhile, has another comeback challenge from P17.

Joel Kelso had a difficult Saturday with brake problems holding him back and will start from 30th on the grid. Wildcard countryman Harrison Voight will line up 28th on the grid.

2022 Misano Moto3 Qualifying Results

Moto3 Championship Points Standings

MotoE

Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE) is the 2022 FIM Enel MotoE World Cup winner! The Swiss rider took second in Race 1 at Misano as Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) crashed out the podium fight, deciding the title on Saturday. Aegerter followed Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) home as the Italian took his first win at Misano, with Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE) completing the podium to make it seven rostrums from eight races at the classic venue.

As the lights went out, it started well for Granado as he sliced up to third through the opening corners and then past Aegerter for second at Turn 2 on Lap 2, although less so for Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) as the number 71 crashed out early. A lap later though, Granado hit the front when Casadei had a wobble between Turns 2 and 3.

Aegerter wasn’t going to let him get away, however. The Swiss rider got past Casadei at Turn 4 and then had a look at Granado when they arrived at Tramonto (Turn 10). The Brazilian held him off and got away with a slight moment later in the lap, but lost the lead as Aegerter attacked on Lap 4, getting it done at Tramonto this time round.

It looked like the battle would roll on to Sunday, but then came the drama as Granado went down a few corners later at Carro, leaving Aegerter with one hand on the trophy. The Brazilian remounted but, assuming he could not get back into the points-paying positions, Aegerter needed to finish only eighth to wrap up the title.

Initially he held onto the lead too, looking like he could seal it with a win, but on the run down to Quercia on the penultimate lap Casadei made his move. From there it stayed a tight fight between Casadei, Aegerter, Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE) and Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40), but Casadei closed every door to perfection – and Aegerter was forced to settle for second, at least in the race.

Ferrari took third and another impressive podium at Misano, with Torres right back up at the sharp end after a tougher season of injury struggles. Alex Escrig (Tech3 E-Racing) got home in fifth for a second top five in a row, ahead of Niccolo Canepa (WithU GRT RNF MotoE Team), Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE), Kevin Manfredi (Octo Pramac MotoE), Xavi Cardelus (Avintia Esponsorama Racing), and Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing). On a tough day for LCR, Granado was classified 17th while Pons was the only non-finisher.

Aegerter is now the 2022 FIM Enel MotoE World Cup Winner, and after coming so close last year in a dramatic finale. Now, just one day remains in the 2022 season, and it will be a particularly special one as we farewell the Energica Ego Corsa which has served the category so well for its first four, exhilarating years.

Dominique Aegerter – MotoE Champion

“It feels amazing. I had two years in this class – one time third, one time second – and now finally first with a race to go tomorrow, so I can enjoy tomorrow. I want to thank all the Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE team. They did a fantastic job, I had a fantastic bike to fight for the victory in the race again. Sure, today in the race I saw that Granado crashed, they told me with the pit board, and I didn’t want to do anything strange. I knew that if I finished on the podium, I can win the championship. There’s a long way to go and now I have some Supersport races I hope I can fight well in. Thanks again to all the sponsors who help me to be here and I hope we can continue like this.”

2022 Misano MotoE Race One Results

MotoE Championship Points Standings

Gran Premio Gryfyn di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini
Times in AEST

Sunday

2022 MotoGP Calendar