Bradl posts continual improvements for sixth row start Moto GP 2022.
Assen, June 25, 2022: Lone wolf Stefan Bradl was able to make steady steps forward as he and the Repsol Honda Team worked to improve the RC213V. Meanwhile, Pol Espargaro was forced to withdraw from the race.
Saturday in Assen would prove to be a day of progress for Stefan Bradl. Struggling to get into the 1’33s in the morning, a big effort by the Repsol Honda Team mechanics changed Bradl’s pair of RC213Vs for the afternoon sessions. The one lap improvements were clear to see as Bradl dropped his best lap time from a 1’34.180 in FP3 to a 1’33.029 in Q1 – one of the biggest improvements of the day. The time will see the #6 line up on the sixth row of the grid, ahead of the factory Yamaha of Franco Morbidelli. Bradl is confident that with a strong start he can be in the mix throughout the 26-lap race.
Just ahead of Free Practice 3, Pol Espargaro and thee Repsol Honda Team announced his withdrawal from the event due to injuries sustained at the Sachsenring. Espargaro will now return home to immediately begin further treatment ahead of the British Grand Prix, the scene of his first pole position with Honda.
Takaaki Nakagami qualified as the top Honda in 12th position.
Stefan Bradl (18th)
“It was not such a bad final result in Qualifying as we were still exploring some settings with the bike in FP3 and FP4 to get a direction. Missing FP1 with rain left us a bit far away with setup but we’ve done a good job today. In Qualifying we were more or less on target and tomorrow we can be with the group, fighting and getting some positions. I need to make a good start to stay in the group and then see what happens in the race.”
Pol Espargaro
“I feel really sorry for the team, to not finish the Grand Prix was a very hard decision. I thought I was okay after the first session but yesterday in FP2 I pushed very hard and I hurt myself. I don’t know exactly what I have done but it got worse, and I have been struggling with the pain and to breathe. My main priority is to understand the situation fully and work on recovering fully during the summer.”
Qualifying Results - TT Assen
Pos.
Rider
Num
Nation
Team
Constructor
Time/Gap
1
BAGNAIA FRANCESCO
62
ITA
DUCATI LENOVO TEAM
DUCATI
1'31.504
2
QUARTARARO FABIO
20
FRA
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP
YAMAHA
0.116
3
MARTIN JORGE
89
SPA
PRAMAC RACING
DUCATI
0.204
4
BEZZECCHI MARCO
73
ITA
MOONEY VR46 RACING TEAM
DUCATI
0.292
5
ESPARGARO ALEIX
41
SPA
APRILIA RACING
APRILIA
0.364
6
MILLER JACK
43
AUS
DUCATI LENOVO TEAM
DUCATI
0.62
7
ZARCO JOHANN
5
FRA
PRAMAC RACING
DUCATI
0.671
8
OLIVEIRA MIGUEL
88
POR
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING
KTM
0.768
9
RINS ALEX
42
SPA
TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR
SUZUKI
0.803
10
BINDER BRAD
33
RSA
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING
KTM
0.863
11
VINALES MAVERICK
12
SPA
APRILIA RACING
APRILIA
0.92
12
NAKAGAMI TAKAAKI
30
JPN
LCR HONDA
HONDA
1.463
13
MARINI LUCA
10
ITA
MOONEY VR46 RACING TEAM
DUCATI
0.302 Q1
14
MIR JOAN
36
SPA
TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR
SUZUKI
0.413
15
DI GIANNANTONIO FABIO
49
ITA
TEAM GRESINI RACING MOTOGP
DUCATI
0.427
16
BASTIANINI ENEA
23
ITA
TEAM GRESINI RACING MOTOGP
DUCATI
0.52
17
DOVIZIOSO ANDREA
4
ITA
WITHU YAMAHA RNF MOTOGP TEAM
YAMAHA
0.524
18
BRADL STEFAN
6
GER
REPSOL HONDA TEAM
HONDA
0.544
19
GARDNER REMY
87
AUS
TECH 3 KTM FACTORY RACING
KTM
0.608
20
MORBIDELLI FRANCO
21
ITA
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP
YAMAHA
0.611
21
MARQUEZ ALEX
73
SPA
LCR HONDA
HONDA
0.628
22
SAVADORI LORENZO
32
ITA
APRILIA RACING TEST TEAM
APRILIA
0.982
23
FERNANDEZ RAUL
25
SPA
TECH 3 KTM FACTORY RACING
KTM
1.167
24
BINDER DARRYN
40
RSA
WITHU YAMAHA RNF MOTOGP TEAM
YAMAHA
1.513
