It is the home heroes to the fore on Saturday at the SHARK Grand Prix de France. After Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) topped FP3 at Le Mans, fellow Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) set the pace in the FP4, the last on-track action before qualifying. Quartararo was fastest for much of the half-hour session, as well as being consistent, and ended up with a best lap of 1:31.444 on soft Michelin slicks.
And the fans go wild ???? @FabioQ20 re-inflates French hopes with a P1 finish in FP4 ????#MotoGP | #FrenchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/hEAq7jqv4X
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) May 14, 2022
Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) had a brief period on top during the final six minutes, with the Spaniard’s 1:31.454s leaving him second all-told, ahead of Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu). Espargaro had bounced back from a mid-session crash to set his best lap, while Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) took an early tumble before ending up sixth. Zarco was 15th-fastest in a session which is typically more about race pace than time attacks.
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) looks like having to revert to his second RC213V for Q2 after a crash just before the chequered flag. The Spaniard went down at Chemin aux Boeufs and would be classified 13th in the session.
It's not a good sight for @marcmarquez93 ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) May 14, 2022
He loses the front end into turn 9 but should be ok to ride in Q2 ????#MotoGP | #FrenchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/rBQDYOtlEE
The fight for pole starts next, with Q1 first up.