KUALA LUMPUR – It was looking good for current MotoGP world championship leader Francesco Bagnaia throughout the third free practice session of the Malaysian GP, but a crash in the final minutes of the session hindered the Italian from setting a faster time.
The Ducati rider was on top of the timing sheets for the most part of the session here at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) – but traffic, drizzle, and a fall at Turn 7 only gave Bagnaia the fastest time of 1m 59.167s and placed him 11th.
The riders took to the track as dark clouds loomed over the circuit, and marshals waved the white flag with a saltire red cross, indicating that precipitation was falling on some parts of the track.
This could have played a part in Bagnaia’s fall towards the end of the session, which prevented him to set a better time, and gave way for other riders to climb up the time sheets third practice session.
Title competitor and reigning world champion Fabio Quartararo came in seventh with a time of 1m 59.067s, as the Yamaha rider also encountered traffic in the closing minutes of the session.
But it was Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin that emerged on top. His time of 1m 58.583s inched him to the lead ahead of Mooney VR46 Ducati’s Marco Bezzecchi, who clocked in a time of 1m 58.772s.
Spanish rider Maverick Vinales placed his Aprilia bike in third, ahead of the other Mooney VR46 Ducati rider Luca Marini.
The riders will take to the track once again for the final 30-minute practice session later in the afternoon before the qualifying session starts to set the grid ahead of this year’s penultimate race tomorrow.
In the practice sessions yesterday, South African Brad Binder’s decision to switch to a set of fresh rubber led him to emerge on top of the first free practice session with a time of 1m 59.479s.
The afternoon session was delayed due to heavy rain, but RNF Yamaha’s Cal Crutchlow navigated the damp track and set the fastest time of 2m 5.710s.
Tomorrow’s race could see Bagnaia win his first-ever world championship, as long as he wins the race and Quartararo finishes fourth or lower. – The Vibes, October 22, 2022
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