Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro has backed up a front row qualifying performance with the fastest time in MotoGP™ Warm Up at the SHARK Grand Prix de France. His 1:31.650 on Sunday morning at Le Mans saw him get the better of World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), who the local fans are dearly hoping can win his home race, by 0.155 seconds. Takaaki Nakagami made it three manufacturers in the top three with a 1:31.822 on his LCR Honda Idemitsu entry.
As far as the other front row starters are concerned, Jack Miller was sixth on a 1:31.920, while pole-sitter and fellow Ducati Lenovo Team rider Francesco Bagnaia ended up 13th on a 1:32.176. On another Ducati, Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing) had a spill at Turn 3 – rider okay – after setting a 1:31.955 which saw him finish eighth on the timesheet. The session ran in dry conditions but, with the threat of rain later in the day, Miller was among those who practiced a flag-to-flag bike change and some even briefly ran wet Michelin tyres.
Will we see the Aprilia spoil the French plans?! ????@AleixEspargaro is your fastest rider in #MotoGP warm up! ????#FrenchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/GD2i0LuSxy
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) May 15, 2022