Márquez claims direct Q2 spot at Silverstone as Bagnaia crashes to 13th
Márquez secured direct Q2 entry with the sixth-fastest time at Silverstone, while a crash left Bagnaia 13th and facing Q1.
- 6th
- 13th
- 3rd
- 10
What Happened
The Ducati Lenovo Team completed the opening day of action at Silverstone, host of the twelfth Grand Prix of the season. Marc Márquez finished Practice in sixth position and secured a direct place in Q2, while Francesco Bagnaia finished thirteenth and will have to tackle Q1. Fabio Di Giannantonio was third fastest with the Ducati of the VR46 Racing Team.
Márquez, sixth quickest also in FP1, stayed in the top ten throughout the afternoon session and improved at every outing to eventually clock the sixth fastest lap. Bagnaia had fought his way back into tenth place in the closing stages, but a crash on his final time attack denied him one last opportunity to secure a direct place in Q2. The Italian ended the day in 13th place.
“It was a good Friday and I feel good. This is a circuit, like Assen, where our main rivals are very strong, but we'll keep working to bridge the gap and be part of the battle. We're not as effective as we'd like to be in the flowing sections of the track and this is a key area to improve. The goal is obviously to get the best out of this weekend, but at the moment I think we're capable of fighting”
“We knew that finishing in the top ten wasn't going to be easy. This is a challenging track, especially if you're not fully fit. I still feel discomfort in my hand, at the point where I apply pressure on the handlebar under braking and when entering right-hand corners. Usually, this type of surgery has a short recovery period, but I still feel limited both in training and on the bike. In any case, ”
Free Practice 2
Q1
Q2
Sprint race (10 laps)
Previously from Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.
The Ducati Lenovo Team arrived at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix after a three-week summer break. Marc Márquez was third in the riders' standings, while Francesco Bagnaia competed after needing medical clearance following arm surgery, which helps explain his current hand discomfort.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.'s official releases.
Why this matters
This shows how a single mistake can change a MotoGP weekend: Bagnaia's crash sent him to Q1, and he says his recovering hand still limits him and the bike needs more grip. Saturday's qualifying and Sprint will therefore test both Ducati factory riders, with Márquez believing he can fight for a top-five to top-seven result.
Terms in This Story
- Q1
- The first qualifying session in MotoGP, used to determine which riders advance to Q2. Riders who do not finish in the top ten in practice must compete in Q1.
- Q2
- The final qualifying session in MotoGP, where the fastest riders battle for the front grid positions.
- Sprint
- A short race held on Saturday that awards championship points, with a distance shorter than the main Grand Prix.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.