Sports & Fitness

MotoGP: Title rivals’ grid-locked in Emilia-Romagna practice

Fabio Quartararo and Francesco Bagnaia will battle for the top 12 on the grid for tomorrow’s race

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 23 Oct 2021 7:00PM

MotoGP: Title rivals’ grid-locked in Emilia-Romagna practice — Yamaha French rider Fabio Quartararo returns to the pits today during a free practice session on the eve of the Emilia-Romagna MotoGP Grand Prix at the Misano World Circuit Marco-Simoncelli in Misano Adriatico, Italy. – AFP pix, October 23, 2021

MISANO ADRIATICO - Title rivals Fabio Quartararo and Francesco Bagnaia will have to battle through the first qualifying session to have a chance of making the top 12 on the grid for today's Emilia-Romagna MotoGP.

Both struggled in the morning session with title leader Quartararo finishing 15th overall and Bagnaia 11th.

The latter's poor final placing was in stark contrast to three other Ducati riders - Johann Zarco, Jorge Martin, and Jack Miller - who filled the top three positions.

With both finishing outside the top 10 they must hope to fill the top two positions in Saturday's first qualifying session to contest the second one which decides the top 12 places on the grid for tomorrow's race.

Quartararo is bidding to become the first Frenchman to be crowned world champion in the category and could seal the title this weekend.

The 22-year-old leads Italian rider Bagnaia by 52 points with three races remaining.

Bagnaia beat his French rival on the same circuit in the San Marino GP in September. – AFP, October 23, 2021