All to play for at The Decider: Martin pole, Quartararo P4

The stage is set for #TheDecider after the completion of MotoGP™ qualifying at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) has secured pole position for the final race of the season while Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) pushed as hard has he could – and then some – to earn P4 on the grid at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Importantly for Yamaha’s title contender, he will start a full row ahead of World Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), who qualified eighth – it's been a nervous weekend for Pecco so far and everything is possible in this title fight.

Martin rapid early

As was the case a fortnight ago in Malaysia, Martin was on the pace immediately in Q2, setting a 1:29.621 which would still be fastest at the end of the first runs. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) was second on a 1:29.834 and Quartararo fourth on a 1:30.135, while Bagnaia was back to pitlane after a single 1:30.766 which left him 11th when the track went quiet.

Miller’s hopes of one last pole for Ducati then disappeared when he crashed at Turn 2, while an under-the-weather Marc Marquez jumped from ninth to P2 when he fired in a 1:30.049. Bagnaia moved to sixth, ahead of Quartararo, when he set a 1:30.049 before 'El Diablo' leapfrogged his title rival by clocking a 1:30.027.

A scare for Quartararo

There were more yellow flags when Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) had a spill at Turn 6, while Bagnaia toured the run-off at Turn 8. Quartararo was still on a hot lap and, fortunately for him, it was unaffected as he sought to elevate himself further up the grid. He did indeed move up two spots more to fourth with a 1:29.900 before running into the Turn 2 gravel trap on his final lap of the session – although that was in fact a moot point with replays showing FQ20 also running onto the green at Turn 1 anyway.

Martin had no improvement during his second run but still bagged pole, ahead of Marc Marquez and Miller, who kept his berth on the front row despite the tumble. Quartararo heads up Row 2, next to Q1 graduate Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and the pace-setter in that earlier qualifying session, Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing). Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was classified seventh, ahead of Bagnaia, Zarco, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar).

How Q1 looked

In Q1, Rins had been fastest on a 1:30.230 and Viñales second on a 1:30.307 at the end of the first runs. Viñales then went top with a 1:30.090 before Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) moved into second place with a 1:30.193. However, Rins hit back with a 1:30.126 and then Bastianini’s chances of advancing to Q2 were dashed when he crashed at Turn 2 – rider okay. 'La Bestia' is set to start 13th and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who topped FP4 and then threatened to upstage both Viñales and Rins late in Q1, from 14th.

Bastianini and Oliveira will be joined on Row 5 by Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol), who finished the session on his second bike after pulling off with a technical problem for his first. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) earned 22nd after a crash at Turn 2, while Raul Fernandez (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) was a notable in qualifying 23rd – the rookie had missed FP4 altogether after a visit to hospital following a crash in FP3, but was declared fit and completed eight laps in Q1. Both he and Espargaro will move up one position due to a grid penalty for Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu).

The next time we see MotoGP™ bikes on-track will be Sunday morning’s Warm Up at 09:40 (GMT +1), then we will crown our 2022 World Champion – whoever that may be – after lights go out for #TheDecider at 14:00!

MotoGP™ Q2 Top 10

1. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) – 1:29.621
2. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.205
3. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.213
4. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) + 0.279
5. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.319
6. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) + 0.334
7. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 0.418
8. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.428
9. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) + 0.481
10. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) + 0.503

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