Ducati Sporting Club UK > News Items > Ducati Press Releases > Bagnaia ends Friday's free practice of the French GP with the fifth-fastest time overall. Eleventh Miller

[webteam]

MotoGP | Round 7 - French GP 2022 | Friday 13 May 2022

Bagnaia ends Friday's free practice of the French GP with the fifth-fastest time overall. Eleventh Miller

Friday's free practice for the French GP, the seventh round of the 2022 MotoGP season scheduled this weekend at the historic Bugatti Circuit in Le Mans, saw good weather with mild temperatures and clear skies throughout the day.

Thanks to the favourable conditions, both Ducati Lenovo Team riders immediately found a good feeling with their Desmosedici GP bikes, progressively improving their lap times throughout the two sessions today. Having closed FP1 in 1:31.893, Bagnaia knocked another 258 thousandths off his best time in FP2, ending his first day at Le Mans with the fifth-fastest time overall. With grip conditions changed since the morning, Miller was one of several riders to suffer a crash in the afternoon. Although he was able to get back on track, several yellow flags displayed in the final minutes of the session meant he could not go beyond the 11th fastest time.

Enea Bastianini ended the day on top as he set a new all-time lap record of 1:31.148 with the Ducati Desmosedici GP of the Gresini Racing team.

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) - 5th (1:31.635)
"It was a positive day for us. Last year I had some difficulties during the only dry session we had available, but today I was able to be fast and find confidence on the bike straight away. Unfortunately, we couldn't make a proper time attack this afternoon because, in the last four laps, I always found the yellow flags, but in any case, we finished with the fifth-fastest time. I, Aleix Espargaro and Quartararo are the ones with the fastest pace at the moment, but we'll see how the weekend evolves after tomorrow's FP3."

Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) - 11th (1:31.914)
"Today was warmer than what we are usually used to here at Le Mans, but in any case, I felt comfortable right from this morning. In FP2, I had a crash, and it was very strange: I had the feeling that the grip was good, but probably with the warmer temperatures this afternoon, the conditions changed. Anyway, we have a good pace, which makes me confident ahead of Sunday's race. Unfortunately, we couldn't make a proper time attack this afternoon because of the yellow flags, so the goal tomorrow morning will be to get straight into Q2 in FP3."

The Ducati Lenovo Team riders will be back on track tomorrow at 9:55am for FP3, while French GP qualifying will take place in the afternoon, starting at 2:10pm, at the end of FP4.