- 2022-06-06
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Donate to support families affected by the crisis in Ukraine ➔ MotoGP Catalan: Untouchable Fabio Quartararo Wins in Dramatic Catalan Grand Prix
Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya saw Fabio Quartararo (Monster Yamaha) claimed his second victory of the 2022 season at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit in Montmeló.
He dominated the race, and through the chequered flag ahead of 2nd-placed Jorge Martin (Pramac Ducati) and 3rd-placed Johann Zarco (Pramac Ducati) by 6.473 seconds.
He kept the top from beginning to the end of the race and was really untouchable.
Pole sitter Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) had run at 2nd place until the final lap, but made miscounting the number of laps remaining. He ended up to throw away a podium of his home grand prix and finished 5th.
Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar) benefitted from Espargaro's blunder and finished 4th. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Ducati) was 6th.
Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) was 7th, unable to make his soft rear tyre gamble work.
Beginning of the race, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) made a fantastic start. But he lost the front at the first corner and contacted with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo)'s tail. Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) also was involved in the accident, three riders crashed out.
The incident was put under investigation but no further action was deemed to be required, with Takaaki Nakagami being taken to the medical centre for precautionary checks.
Fabio Quartararo said, “I am so pleased, this was an incredible race. I pushed hard from the start and kept it up to the finish. With this win and my second place in Mugello last Sunday these are two great results as I feared the worst beforehand. Life is good, we have worked hard. I felt good from the beginning, I knew I wanted to be first on the first corner. Amazing race, I felt great. I was pushing from the beginning and I kept checking my rear tyre, which felt really good. So happy!”
Aleix Espargaro said, “I'm sorry. That's the only thing that I can say, sorry to my team. It's completely my fault. My people [with the pit board] were the first ones [out of the last corner]. So some laps I had no time to look at the laps [remaining on the pit board] as well as the gap with Martin. I was pushing to the limit so I just watched the gap with Martin, +0.6, then I watched the tower and I saw 'L1'. So I did one more lap and I didn't remember that here in Barcelona last lap is '0' not '1'. And I closed the gas on the straight. So I'm very sorry for my team because, I didn't have the speed of Fabio to win, but if I want to beat him in the championship I cannot do these mistakes. Today I lost 9 [extra] points, so I'm very sorry. Yesterday between Michelin and my team, everybody put a lot of worry into my [mind] by saying that I use a lot of tyre, that I had to be gentle on the first laps and I was too gentle sincerely. Because at the end of the race, when I overtook Martin, I had enough tyre to put 41.5s and go away. I think Fabio was not faster than me, but he was smarter, was able to push at the beginning, and then it's impossible to recover 2 - 2.5 seconds to Fabio. I think I could have gone with him at the beginning. But anyway, it's too late.”
Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya Race Results- Fabio Quartararo / Monster Yamaha / 40m 29.36s
- Jorge Martin / Pramac Ducati / +6.473s
- Johann Zarco / Pramac Ducati / +8.385s
- Joan Mir / Suzuki Ecstar / +11.481s
- Aleix Espargaro / Aprilia Racing / +14.395s
- Luca Marini / Mooney VR46 Ducati / +15.430s
- Maverick Viñales / Aprilia Racing / +15.975s
- Brad Binder / Red Bull KTM / +21.436s
- Miguel Oliveira / Red Bull KTM / +26.800s
- Alex Marquez / LCR Honda / +30.460s
- Remy Gardner / KTM Tech3 / +32.443s
- Darryn Binder / WithU Yamaha RNF / +32.881s
- Franco Morbidelli / Monster Yamaha / +33.168s
- Jack Miller / Ducati Lenovo / +34.693s
- Raul Fernandez / KTM Tech3 / +37.844s
- Michele Pirro / Aruba.it Racing / +44.533s
- Pol Espargaro / Repsol Honda / +46.199s
Photo by MotoGP- source : MotoGP
