2022 Qatar MotoGP, Lusail - Full Qualifying Results

Full Qualifying results and grid line-up for the Qatar MotoGP at Lusail, the opening round of the 2022 world championship.
Jorge Martin , Qatar MotoGP, 4 March 2022
Jorge Martin , Qatar MotoGP, 4 March 2022
© Gold and Goose Photography

Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini deliver a Ducati one-two in qualifying for the season-opening Qatar MotoGP at Lusail.

It was factory Ducati's Jack Miller who was holding the advantage from Pol Espargaro and Jorge Martin after the opening run, but Marc Marquez then emerged in Francesco Bagnaia's slipstream and was promptly towed to the top.

But another Desmosedici soon demoted the eight-time world champion in the form of Martin on the Pramac GP22, then a 2021-spec bike in the hands of Gresini rider Bastianini, who snatched his first MotoGP front row place!

Marquez held on to third, with Miller and Espargaro brothers Aleix (Aprilia) and Pol (Honda) forming row two.

Fastest in free practice, Suzuki's hopes of a major fast-lap breakthrough were dampened in qualifying with eighth (Joan Mir) and tenth (Alex Rins) places, albeit both within 0.470s of pole.

Having been forced to fight their way through Qualifying 1, Brad Binder and reigning world champion Fabio Quartararo were short of new soft rear tyres for Q2.

Both thus only did one run, when Binder managed seventh and Quartararo eleventh, ahead of only team-mate Franco Morbidelli.

Unlike in previous years, there has been no pre-season testing held at the circuit, meaning teams and riders came into the event without any track data since last year's Doha double.

The race start time has also been moved forwards, to 18:00, shortly after sunset. The opening MotoGP sessions of each day, plus all of the Moto3 and Moto2 track action thus take place in daylight.

Yamaha took victory in both of last year's races courtesy of a win each for Maverick Vinales and Quartararo.

Qatar MotoGP, Lusail - Full Qualifying Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP22)1'53.011s6/7345k
2Enea BastianiniITAGresini Ducati (GP21)+0.147s7/7350k
3Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.272s5/7345k
4Jack MillerAUSDucati Lenovo (GP22)+0.287s6/7345k
5Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)+0.308s7/7344k
6Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.335s7/7345k
7Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.339s2/3343k
8Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.396s7/7346k
9Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP22)+0.400s5/7345k
10Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.470s6/7345k
11Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.624s5/6336k
12Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.971s6/7342k
 Qualifying 1:     
13Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP22)1'53.78s2/5345k
14Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)1'53.819s7/7340k
15Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP21)*1'53.915s2/7346k
16Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)1'54.038s3/7343k
17Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)1'54.222s2/6344k
18Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)1'54.224s7/7348k
19Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP)1'54.228s5/6346k
20Andrea DoviziosoITAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)1'54.244s7/7343k
21Fabio Di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP21)*1'54.276s7/7346k
22Remy GardnerAUSKTM Tech3 (RC16)*1'54.378s5/6341k
23Raul FernandezSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)*1'54.889s2/6343k
24Darryn BinderRSAWithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)*1'56.011s3/5344k

* Rookie
Fastest Practice time:
Alex Rins SPA Suzuki 1m 53.432s

Official Qatar MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1m 52.772s (2021)
Fastest race lap:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1m 54.491s (2021)

By Peter McLaren

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