Bluffed in qualifying, Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) will fight “for a big result” in the race

Jack Miller has a very loose tongue when it comes to denouncing the errors of his colleagues in full trajectory and he often forgets that he can also find himself in the wrong role. Saturday at Termas de Rio Hondo, he quite annoyed Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha Factory) by negligently occupying the ideal line when leaving the pits.

On this still dusty track on this single day of testing following the cancellation of practice on Friday, due to lack of equipment, the Frenchman had no choice but to abandon his fast lap in the last moments of the practice session. qualification, and settle for sixth time on the starting grid for the Argentine Grand Prix, the third round of the 2022 World Cup.

Afterwards, the Australian from the official Ducati team was logically penalized by three places on the starting grid of the Argentine Grand Prix, but that will not make the place in the front row that the reigning world champion could hope for. .

On this circuit, the M1 can express itself

“On this track, if you don’t do your lap time on the first attempt, you lose everything because you skate at turn 6explained the Niçois. Jack Miller wasn’t really on the line, but when you approach in fourth or fifth gear with someone next to you, it’s disturbing, and it’s not fair in my opinion. It’s like that. I did my best. We know where we lose everything, but luckily I don’t think I ever braked so late in my life as at turn 5. The second row might not be the best result I could have had, but I’m still in a good position for the race. Our pace is not the best but not the worst either, so I think I can fight for a big race result.”

After a very laborious start to the season in Qatar, ending in ninth place at Losail, “El Diablo” took second place behind Enea Bastianini (Ducati Gresini), producing his best performance in the rain two weeks ago in Indonesia. It remained for him to validate the potential of an M1 in need of power, just to tell himself that he could still defend his title against the armada of overpowered Ducati. On this circuit where the Japanese chassis can express itself, and where the use of “soft” tires creates a lot of steering, the driver of machine n°1 is doing well and can hope to fight in front, perhaps to be not with the Aprilia of Aleix Espargaro, which seems above the pack, but with the rest of the group which precedes it.

Monitor the Espargaro

Aleix Espargaro, author of the first pole position in the history of Aprilia under the MotoGP era, for his 200th start in the elite, everything seems more open behind, even if Jorge Martin (Ducati Pramac) surprised by qualifying for third consecutively in the Top 2, 0″151 behind his compatriot. But after being mowed down by a Pecco Bagnia (Ducati Team) in distress at Losail and broken promises at Mandalika, the Spaniard must ensure a result to hope join the factory team in 2023.

Qualified third, and for the second time in his young career on the front row after the 2021 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, the Italian Luca Marini (Ducati VR46), half-brother of Valentino Rossi, may still lack experience to manage the distance. Long in the lead at Losail before breaking down, Pol Espargaro (Honda HRC) may be the other opponent to watch for Fabio Quartararo. More than the irregular Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing), qualified 5th.