2023-11-25 10:58:16
World champions are not usually so by chance and Francesco Bagnaia, who had a bad Friday, brought out the champion within him at the start of Saturday to turn the tables. If yesterday the one who was smiling was Jorge Martín and the one with a serious expression was Pecco, following qualifying for the Valencia GP it is the Italian who comes out with a smile from ear to ear and the Spaniard who will now have to row once morest the current.
The champion and overall leader, with a 21-point advantage over Martinator, has started Saturday in an outstanding way, because he has easily surpassed Q1, with first place in that play-off adorned with a new track record, and he has been second in Q2. The candidate, on the other hand, has been failing since the start of the final round, with a sixth place that will see him start in today’s momentous sprint at 3:00 p.m. and in tomorrow’s race, at the same time, closing the race. second row.
Martín’s qualifying started with shock from the beginning, because already in the pit lane the tear off (screen protector) that Márquez had gotten rid of got caught on the front air intake of his Ducati. He was able to remove it immediately and it was just an anecdote, because the important problems would come later. In his first attempt at a fast lap, he suffered a slight slide in turn one that ruined his lap. On the way back to the box, he asked to change his bike and left the one with medium and soft rubber to take the other one with hard and soft rubber. In no way was he as inspired as on other occasions and, furthermore, he became entangled with Márquez more than desired.
The Repsol Honda rider took the wheel of the Madrid native with the hope of being able to get into the first two rows from which to aspire to the podium in his farewell race with the golden wing, but it didn’t go well for either of them. They were regarding to touch on one occasion, when the Prima Pramac driver returned to the correct line following going a bit long and moments later Márquez crashed at a high speed, in turn 2. It was the 28th crash of the season. For him, his record in the same year.
Without the company of Marc, Jorge was not inspired either and in his last attempt he came out wide from another corner and, going up the curb, received a whiplash from his Ducati that ruined any possibility of a fast lap. In the end, sixth, 0.251 behind Maverick’s pole, the first for him with the Aprilia and the 200th for Spanish motorcycling in the premier class. As you can see, it’s time for Martinator to come back to revive the title hopes, which are complicated with him starting from the second row and with Bagnaia from second place. The leader might be crowned today if he gains four more points in the sprint from the Spaniard, which means a victory for him and a third for his rival, or a second and a fifth.
Returning to the grid, the front row was left for Maverick, Bagnaia and Zarco, Martín’s partner. The second, for Miller, Binder and Martín. The third, for Bezzecchi, Álex Márquez and Márquez. And the fourth for Raúl Fernández, Di Giannantonio and Aleix.
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