Ducati Sporting Club UK > News Items > Ducati Press Releases > Third row for Pecco Bagnaia, ninth in qualifying for the Malaysian GP at Sepang. 14th quickest time for Jack Miller

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MotoGP | Round 19 - Malaysian GP 2022 | Saturday 22 October 2022

Third row for Pecco Bagnaia, ninth in qualifying for the Malaysian GP at Sepang. 14th quickest time for Jack Miller

• Martin (Pramac Racing Team) sets the new circuit record at Sepang and takes Ducati's 70th MotoGP pole position. Second Bastianini (Gresini Racing)

Francesco Bagnaia will start from the third row of the grid in the Malaysian GP, the penultimate round of the 2022 MotoGP season, which will be held tomorrow at Sepang International Circuit.

After finishing 11th on the first day of free practice, in part affected by rain, the Ducati Lenovo Team rider was aiming to improve in FP3 to get straight into Q2, but this morning he could not complete both of his time attack attempts. Hampered first by Franco Morbidelli (who was later penalized with a double long lap to be served in tomorrow's race), Pecco crashed while improving and finished with the 11th fastest time. Bagnaia then took part in Q1, which closed in the first place but in Q2, during his last "time attack," he ran into another crash that prevented him from going beyond the ninth time.

On the other hand, Jack Miller will start from the fifth row. The Australian rider, who was fourteenth after FP3, took part in Q1 like his teammate but suffered a "highside" that prevented him from going beyond fourth place. Miller will therefore start 14th in tomorrow's race.

In the Malaysian GP, the two Desmosedici GPs of Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing Team) and Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing) will start ahead of everyone. Thanks to a formidable lap in 1:57.790, the Spanish rider obtained Ducati's 70th pole position in MotoGP, setting the new circuit record.

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) - 9th (1:58.862)
"This morning in FP3, I made a mistake and crashed, partly because I got a little nervous after finding two slow riders on my line. I had the potential to go straight into Q2, and I should have just been more relaxed. This afternoon, however, I crashed because I was forcing a lot, but I wanted the front row at all costs. In any case, we have to be satisfied because, in FP4, we were fast on used tyres, and that's what really matters. Starting so far back is not completely penalizing on this track: we can take advantage of the long straight to try to make up ground right away, but we will then have to make a smart race and avoid mistakes."

Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) - 14th (1:59.064)
"I can't be satisfied with this qualifying, but that's how it was today. This morning, when it started raining in FP3, I thought it would intensify, and I waited too long in the pit and missed the opportunity to go out for a last attack. In Q1, the crash then prevented me from improving. In any case, I feel comfortable on the bike and also have a good pace. We did many laps on the soft tyre, and it seemed to hold up well over the race distance, although twenty laps is a long time considering the temperatures and humidity. My leg was starting to hurt less today than yesterday, but after today's crash, I'm a little sore again. It won't be easy tomorrow, but we will try to do our best as always."

The Ducati Lenovo Team riders will return to the track tomorrow at 10:40am for the warm-up, while the race will start at 3 pm, 9:00am in Italy, over a 20-lap distance.