Bagnaia flies the il Tricolore at the British Grand Prix -

August 11, 2022

MotoGP – Monster Energy British Grand Prix 07/08/2022

Qualification:

After a five-week break, the MotoGP paddock arrived at Silverstone earlier than usual and in glorious sunshine, that’s worth a mention, it’s not always that way! On pole was Johann Zarco for Prima Racing Pramac, P2 was a happy Maverick Vinales, on the Aprilia, and P3 Jack Miller for Ducati Lenovo Team.

Fabio Quartararo was P4, but a long lap penalty imposed on him from Assen, would surely affect his race, and unfairly, as hardly anyone agreed with this punishment, supposedly for impeding Aleix Espargaro. Aleix himself was in difficulty, a 115mph high side in free practise, which had left him with two sore feet, although considering the violence of the crash, a lucky escape.

The Race: 20 laps:

Johann Zarco had a flying start and pulled a gap on the following group, which was headed up by Fabio Quartararo, doing exactly what was needed to create space for his impending long lap penalty. Close by were Miller, Bagnaia and Alex Rins. Seventeen laps to go and Fabio took his long lap penalty, which he had practised a lot in free practice, and he did it with perfection, with only 1.5 seconds lost and coming out P5 in front of Maverick Vinales. Ahead of him, Bagnaia, Rins and Miller were chasing down Johann Zarco.

Only one lap after the tension of Fabio’s penalty loop, and with sixteen to go, Johann Zarco crashed out of the race from the lead, in an own-fault low side, with many sad faces for the fate of the likeable Frenchman. This left Jack Miller in the lead with Rins P2, who then overtook the Aussie, but not for long as Miller took it back. Alex Rins fought back, as he was the spread in a Ducati sandwich, but he was looking feisty and the Suzuki was behaving impeccably, and he took the lead again, Miller P2 and Bagnaia P3.

Rins held the lead until, with nine laps to go, Francesco Bagnaia pushed past to take P1, with Miller chasing him down in P3, Jorge Martin P4, Maverick Vinales P5 and Fabio P6, who chose a soft front and medium rear to get away at the start, by this time possibly regretting that decision. With seven laps to go, we had Bagnaia in the lead, teammate Jack Miller P2 and now Maverick P3 and looking strong on the Aprilia.

The race settled in and then heated up for the last lap. Bagnaia looked comfortable in the lead, but behind him, Maverick Vinales pushed past Miller for P2, and Enea Bastianini battled Jorge Martin and won to move into P4, despite having lost one of his precious wings on the Ducati.
Over the line, it was a convincing win for Francesco Bagnaia, Maverick P2 and Miller P3. Fabio came in 8th after a difficult race, impeded by the long lap penalty, the world champion having won at Silverstone in 2021, he was probably glad to see the back of it in 2022. Johann Zarco probably had the same sentiment, having re-started after the crash, he eventually had to retire from the race.