2023 Le Mans MotoGP Qualifying Result: Even More Heartache and Drama Than Usual

By Zara Daniela | Sat, 13/05/2023 - 09:53

The crowds sounded unusually mild as the battle for pole position got underway, after their favourite was dramatically eliminated in Q1, but the rest of his colleagues still put on quite a show. Aprilia stole the limelight initially, with Maverick Viñales looking good at the top of the timing screens, but a technical issue prevented him from defending top spot on the second run and the Spaniard was left to watch Pecco Bagnaia assert his authority once more and become the first repeat poleman of the season. It briefly looked like Marc Marquez might pick up where he left off – on pole – but the Honda man eventually had to settle for second, missing out by five hundredths of a second. Luca Marini had a busy Saturday on his way to the front row, having to battle it out in Q1, where he snatched top spot at the last second and then got within a tenth of pole. 

After being quickest throughout practice, Jack Miller kept close in qualifying, up to fourth and opening the second row of the grid for KTM, ahead of Jorge Martin. Viñales’s early benchmark was good enough for sixth on the grid, while Marco Bezzecchi opens third row as the final rider to post a time within half as second of pole. Alex Marquez and home hero Johann Zarco will be joining the Italian on row three.

Brad Binder will be hoping for another rocket launch later today, to help him up from 10th on the grid, ahead of Aleix Espargaro, who ended the session with a fast tumble at the first corner, and excellent rookie Augusto Fernandez, who made his first appearance in Q2. The GASGAS rider broke French hearts in Q1 as he pushed Fabio Quartararo out of Q2 places, the Yamaha man having to start down in 13th place on the grid, sharing fifth row with Takaaki Nakagami and Fabio Di Giannantonio. 

Results:    
 

Pos No. Rider Bike Time Diff Prev
1 1 Francesco Bagnaia Ducati 1:30.705    
2 93 Marc Marquez Honda 1:30.763 0.058 0.058
3 10 Luca Marini Ducati 1:30.842 0.137 0.079
4 43 Jack Miller KTM 1:30.984 0.279 0.142
5 89 Jorge Martin Ducati 1:31.023 0.318 0.039
6 12 Maverick Viñales Aprilia 1:31.120 0.415 0.097
7 72 Marco Bezzecchi Ducati 1:31.173 0.468 0.053
8 73 Alex Marquez Ducati 1:31.275 0.570 0.102
9 5 Johann Zarco Ducati 1:31.298 0.593 0.023
10 33 Brad Binder KTM 1:31.445 0.740 0.147
11 41 Aleix Espargaro Aprilia 1:31.523 0.818 0.078
12 37 Augusto Fernandez KTM 1:31.596 0.891 0.073
    Q1 Results:        
Q2 10 Luca Marini Ducati 1:31.268    
Q2 37 Augusto Fernandez KTM 1:31.343 0.075 0.075
13 20 Fabio Quartararo Yamaha 1:31.366 0.098 0.023
14 30 Takaaki Nakagami Honda 1:31.545 0.277 0.179
15 49 Fabio Di Giannantonio Ducati 1:31.718 0.450 0.173
16 36 Joan Mir Honda 1:31.810 0.542 0.092
17 21 Franco Morbidelli Yamaha 1:31.886 0.618 0.076
18 42 Alex Rins Honda 1:31.959 0.691 0.073
19 9 Danilo Petrucci Ducati 1:32.092 0.824 0.133
20 32 Lorenzo Savadori Aprilia 1:32.410 1.142 0.318
21 94 Jonas Folger KTM 1:33.605 2.337 1.195
2023
5
MotoGP
Le Mans, France
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