Rennie Scaysbrook | March 20, 2022
2022 Indonesian MotoGP News—Sunday
Marquez KO’d , yet again
After crashing twice in seven minutes in qualifying, Marc Marquez vowed to risk it all for a good finish on Sunday. He was true to his word, attacking warm-up with abandon. But a massive high-side at turn seven – taken in fourth gear – caused the eight-time champ to bang his head on landing. A concussion put him out of the race.
Team boss Alberto Puig was non-plussed and suggested the harder Michelin carcass in this weekend’s allocation, which stripped the Hondas of all their preseason potential, was at fault. “Marc had these three crashes and we have to try to understand why, because his crash from today was brutal,” Puig said. “Honestly speaking we need to analyze. They [Michelin] brought here a different tire and we have to understand everything, and at this moment it’s difficult.
“Finally, he had a massive crash and we decided it was not correct under the circumstance after this concussion in the head to bring him to the track.”
Miller and Quartararo at odds
Tensions rose post-race between Fabio Quartararo and Jack Miller, after the pair had contact when contesting second place. The Australian was non-plussed that the Yamaha man brushed his right leg when passing. “He proceeded to ride his motorcycle into my leg,” said Miller. I’ll be quite happily have a word with him about this. The Yamaha turns well. But that doesn’t mean you open gas and aim for my front tire. He rode into the side of my leathers. It was an unnecessary risk.”
But Quartararo was having none of it. “I don’t care,” he said when it was put to him Miller was upset. “He is the one in the past that also had some aggressive moves. I think my move was really not aggressive. Just didn’t expect to touch. My touch was not something big. Was a really small touch. I don’t know if you watch on TV, but before to talk I think he better watch because I didn’t make nothing wrong.”
MotoGP runs… Just!
Signs the track surfaced that was put down after the MotoGP test here was coming apart became clear after the Moto3 race. The Moto2 race was shortened from 25 laps to 16. And MotoGP down to 20 from 27. The asphalt in turns 2, 3 and 17 was coming apart. After the Moto2 race, Sam Lowes noted, “The only place I could notice was T17. If the MotoGP race is dry… it’s very bad. They won’t get back. Bad.”
The rain helped. Only, it intensified before the race and led to a 75-minute delay. With the majority of the paddock booked on flights out of Lombok on Sunday evening, there was a real fear the main event wouldn’t go ahead. Even a rain shaman was paraded down pit lane to stop the rain.
In the wet, MotoGP riders said conditions weren’t so bad. “The last corner was five or six places where the tarmac was really out. But then I felt that the tarmac was not too bad. Apart of the last corner, I think everything was quite OK,” said Fabio Quartararo.
Sunday
MotoGP
The 2022 Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia bought MotoGP racing back to the southeast Asian country for the first time since 1997 and gave the GP riders every possible condition to contend with over the three days.
After a lengthy delay due to torrential rain, it was Red Bull KTM’s Miguel Oliveira who mastered the masses of standing water to take his first win since Catalunya last year, taking the win ahead of pole sitter and current World Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha), with Quartararo’s French compatriot Johann Zarco (Pramac Ducati) taking third.
Oliveira and Miller both passed early leader Quartararo at the end of lap two, with the Australian making the early running. Oliveira made his way past Miller on lap six and immediately started to pull a gap that measured 1.6 seconds by half race distance.
Miller had his hands full with Zarco and eventually Quartararo, who was rejuvenated in fourth and would eventually make his way up to second, closing on Oliveira until two laps from the end, when the KTM man responded to record a 2.2-second win.
“I followed Jack for a couple of laps and then I understood I could go a bit faster, so when I overtook him I just tried to focus for the next five laps to do the maximum I could,” Oliveira said. “Then I built a gap and just managed throughout the whole race, but for sure it wasn’t easy. The last couple of months haven’t been easy for me so to be back like this with this incredible win, it’s really emotional. I promised my daughter I would get her a trophy from Indonesia, so this one is for you, baby.”
Quartararo’s second was credited by the man himself as his best-ever wet MotoGP ride, one that saw him top Yamaha rider by five positions over teammate Franco Morbidelli.
“I didn’t expect this!,” Quartararo said. “Already from the warm-up lap it felt like we had something extra compared to normal, because we know that we always struggle in wet conditions. When it‘s full wet and there’s grip, I know my potential. But today I did better than I expected! I saw an opportunity and went for it.”
Zarco’s third place was his first podium of the year, although the Frenchman lamented early mistakes that cost him the chance to fight for the win.
“I am satisfied and happy, the first podium is always special,” Zarco said. “If I had had more confidence from the beginning I could have gone higher but I had to understand how far I could push myself. I go back home with more confidence and a lot more confidence with the bike.”
Fourth in Indonesia went to Jack Miller, the Australian falling back in the latter stages but comfortably ahead of Suzuki’s Alex Rins and Joan Mir.
Seventh went to Morbidelli, while Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) got the better of a titanic tussle between himself, Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro, his brother Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha), Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing Ducati), Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda), Alex Marquez (LCR Honda), Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Ducati) and Francesco Bagnaia (Lenovo Ducati), who rounded out the top 15.
Darryn Binder was sensational in just his second MotoGP race, the South African qualifying 23rd and racing to 10th. He was the top rookie by far, the next best being Raul Fernandez (Tech3 KTM) in 17th.
It was a disastrous race for championship favorite Francesco Bagnaia, whose 15th place means he’s taken one point from a possible 50 in the first two races of the season.
Bastianini’s 11th place sees the Italian hold onto the championship lead by two points from Brad Binder on 28, with Quartararo third on 27. Oliveira jumps up to fourth on 25 from Zarco on 24.
2022 Indonesian MotoGP Results
1 |
Miguel Oliveira |
KTM |
|
2 |
Fabio Quartararo |
Yam |
+2.205 |
3 |
Johann Zarco |
Duc |
+3.158 |
4 |
Jack Miller |
Duc |
+5.663 |
5 |
Alex Rins |
Suz |
+7.004 |
6 |
Joan Mir |
Suz |
+7.832 |
7 |
Franco Morbidelli |
Yam |
+21.115 |
8 |
Brad Binder |
KTM |
+32.413 |
9 |
Aleix Espargaro |
Apr |
+32.586 |
10 |
Darryn Binder |
Yam |
+32.901 |
Moto2
If you ever needed to know what it means to win a Grand Prix race, watch the interview with Moto2 race winner, Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia). The first GP race winner from his native Thailand, Chantra’s maiden win saw an overflow of emotions in pitlane after a dominant performance that saw him take the win by 3.2-seconds from Mooney VR46 Kalex’s Celestino Vietti with Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40 Kalex) third.
“I feel so happy! I also don’t believe it!,” Chantra said. “On the last lap, I saw I was P1 and I saw the checkered flag and I was like ‘oh, I’m in first position!’ It’s also my first time here in Moto2… I’m really happy. I also would like to say thanks to my family. I want to thank my sponsors, Thai Honda. Also thank you to Idemitsu Honda Team Asia and next leg I will be more strong! See you then, bye!”
Fourth went to Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex) from Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Augusto Fernandez.
Further back, Joe Roberts (Italtrans Kalex) got the better of compatriot Cameron Beaubier (American Racing Team) on the final lap for 11th, with Beaubier home in 12th. Sean Dylan Kelly (American Racing Team) retired with technical problems, while pole sitter Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team Kalex) crashed out at mid-race distance.
In the championship, Vietti sits clear on 45 points from Aron Canet on 36 with Lowes third on 29. Roberts is eighth on 13, Beaubier 11th on 11, Kelly 29th on zero points.
2022 Indonesian Moto2 Results
1 |
Somkiat Chantra |
Kal |
|
2 |
Clestino Vietti |
Kal |
+3.23 |
3 |
Aron Canet |
Kal |
+4.366 |
11 |
Joe Roberts |
Kal |
+18.509 |
12 |
Cameron Beaubier |
Kal |
+18.566 |
DNF |
Sean Dylan Kelly |
Kal |
|
Moto3
2021 Moto3 Championship runner-up Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing Honda) made light work of the field in the Moto3 race at the Mandalika track, taking a 2.6-second win over Izan Guevarra (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) and pole-sitter Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP).
“It was so hot. It was incredible, the race,” Foggia said. “Yesterday, I was unlucky in the qualifying because I crashed when I was being fast, but finally I finished in sixth position. Now, I know that we had a good pace for the race. In the last lap, it was impossible to breathe, it was so hard. This my best hard race in my life.”
Foggia’s win sees him move into the championship lead on 34 points from Garcia’s 33 and Guevara’s 28. Former championship leader Andrea Migno crashed out in Indonesia and lies fourth on 25.
2022 Indonesian Moto3 Results
1 |
Dennis Foggia |
Hon |
|
2 |
Izan Guevara |
GasGas |
+2.612 |
3 |
Carlos Tatay |
CFMoto |
+3.639 |
4 |
Sergio Garcia |
GasGas |
+3.759 |
5 |
Deniz Oncu |
KTM |
+3.87 |
2022 Indonesian MotoGP News—Saturday
Yamaha revival
From floundering in Qatar, a place that has historically suited the Yamaha M1, Fabio Quartararo was back out front in Indonesia, claiming a first pole position since last June. Not only that; he showed excellent rhythm in FP4, suggesting reports of his and Yamaha’s demise this year were slightly premature.
The Frenchman pointed to two factors working in his favor at the Mandalika International Circuit. “There are two things that actually,” he said. “(Here there) is not so much straight and the grip is much higher. So, I think it’s the most important thing that we need and more than the straight I think is the rear grip. When we have that we can be super fast, but when we don’t have, there is a big drop. We can’t really have something in the middle. It’s really good or really bad. That I think is the biggest step.”
Honda riders take aim at Michelin
French tire supplier Michelin’s decision to bring rear tires with stiffer casing – last used in October, 2018 – to Mandalika was criticized by many on the grid, with Pol Espargaro particularly outspoken, claiming completing a race distance with the current rubber could an issue.
The Catalan acknowledged the rear tires used when testing here in February were not perfect. His rear suffered blistering after completing a race simulation. “I agreed it was a problem at the test,” he said. “I’m not saying everything was so beautiful. But we could do a race distance. Now I think we will not do it.”
Instead, he was perplexed by the decision to bring four-year-old rubber when all MotoGP machines have been designed to extract the best from Michelin’s current rear tire profile, first introduced in 2020. “With four-year-old tires, this bike isn’t made for it. We saw Ducati struggling massively at the test here, especially on rhythm. Now they are flying. We are especially pissed off with that,” he said.
Marquez at full throttle
No one could accuse Marc Marquez of not trying on Saturday. The Catalan crashed twice within seven minutes (first at T13 then T12) in Q1 while attempting to gain a place in Q2. He failed, and qualified 14th.
The former champ has yet to feel comfortable aboard Honda’s radically different ’22 RC213V, and continues to seek a familiar feeling with the front end of the bike. With Michelin’s rear tires offering up little rear grip this weekend, Marquez resorted to pushing the front with all he had. The consequences were predictable.
“Since we arrived here we start to struggle a lot with the rear and we push a lot with the front. I cannot ride with the front and I don’t feel well like in Qatar. In QP1 I tried. I did not feel ready but I tried.”
Saturday
MotoGP
For the first time since the 2021 Catalan GP, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) will start a MotoGP race from pole position. After topping the timesheets on Friday at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, the Frenchman kept it rolling in qualifying to underline the contrast between a difficult Qatar GP and a turnaround in Lombok. Alongside it’s Jorge Martin and Pramac Racing teammate Johann Zarco in second and third, the former taking his first front row that wasn’t a pole position, and elsewhere there was plenty of drama.
On a circuit with precious little grip, eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez crashed twice and didn’t make it out of Q1 to qualify 15th, Repsol Honda’s Pol Espargaro was just behind his teammate in 16th, and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) likewise suffered in Q1, concluding with a crash and no place in Q2 for the 2020 Champion. He will start a despondent 18th.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) left it until the very last lap of Q2 to jump up to fourth ahead of round one winner, Enea Bastianini, with early Q2 pacesetter Francesco Bagnaia relegated to sixth. Miguel Oliveira, Alex Rins, Jack Miller and Aleix Espargaro round out the top 10.
2022 Indonesian MotoGP Results—Saturday
1 |
Fabio Quartararo |
Yam |
1:31.067 |
2 |
Jorge Martin |
Duc |
+0.213 |
3 |
Johann Zarco |
Duc |
+0.311 |
4 |
Brad Binder |
KTM |
+0.366 |
5 |
Enea Bastianini |
Duc |
+0.437 |
6 |
Francesco Bagnaia |
Duc |
+0.440 |
7 |
Miguel Oliveira |
KTM |
+0.499 |
8 |
Alex Rins |
Suz |
+0.515 |
9 |
Jack Miller |
Duc |
+0.647 |
10 |
Franco Morbidelli |
Yam |
+1.269 |
Moto2
Free Practice pacesetter Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) claimed a debut Moto2 pole position in qualifying at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia thanks to a 1:35.799, making him the 50th different rider to take a Moto2 pole position. Second place went the way of Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as the Spaniard missed out by 0.102s, with Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) taking third to make it the first time in Moto2 history that two British riders start from the front row.
Cameron Beaubier will start from 11th, Joe Roberts 19th, and Sean Dylan Kelly will start 30th.
2022 Indonesian Moto2 Results—Saturday
1 |
Jake Dixon |
Kal |
1:35.799 |
2 |
Augusto Fernandez |
Kal |
+0.102 |
3 |
Sam Lowes |
Kal |
+0.154 |
11 |
Cameron Beaubier |
Kal |
+1.101 |
19 |
Joe Roberts |
Kal |
+0.441 (Q1) |
30 |
Sean Dylan Kelly |
Kal |
2.328 (Q1) |
Moto3
Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) will start from his first World Championship pole position after beating rookie Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) by 0.083s in Moto3 qualifying at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia. Home hero and rookie Mario Aji (Honda Team Asia) claimed a sensational front row start for the first Indonesian GP in 25 years in third, and that after coming through Q1.
2022 Indonesian Moto3 Results—Saturday
1 |
Carlos Tatay |
CFMoto |
1:41.232 |
2 |
Digio Moreira |
KTM |
+0.083 |
3 |
Mario Aji |
Hon |
+0.335 |
2022 Indonesian MotoGP News—Friday
Track Surface
The build-up to the first Indonesian MotoGP in 25 years was a race against time. Preseason testing had shown part of the track surface was not suitable for racing. A hasty resurfacing job was carried out between turn 17 and 5. There was serious concern on Thursday with mechanics noting how the surface came apart underfoot.
Friday’s rain and cooler temperatures brought about light relief. But riders may go offline at their peril. “You can’t go out of the right line,” said Andrea Dovizioso. “But it’s quite OK. I think it will be a bit difficult to do the race like this, because there is one line, but the conditions were better than the test. About the stones, they are still there, but I felt a bit better. But sometimes you feel a lot, sometimes not. So it changes.”
Michelin changes up
Preseason testing at this venue also taught Michelin it had to veer on the side of caution for its weekend tire allocation. “We quickly realized that because of a combination of the new track surface, the fast layout, and the high temperatures, the tires were being stressed too much and overheating,” said Two-Wheel Manager Piero Taramasso.
“We’ve kept the same compounds that during the test gave very good grip levels and consistency. We have put them on special casings that are designed to control the temperatures more effectively.”
The more riding casing was last used in MotoGP at the 2018 Thai GP and caused several riders into set-up and riding style adjustments. On day one, Suzuki was the factory most impacted with Joan Mir outside the top 20. “It changes a lot,” said Alex Rins of revised set-up.
Pecco’s walk-back
On the eve of the Grand Prix, Francesco Bagnaia performed a walk back after his emotional post-race outburst in Qatar. There, the Italian said he would only focus on fine-tuning race set-up over a weekend, rather than continuing with bike development.
On Thursday however, he acknowledged, his words had been delivered in the heat of the moment. “The message that I passed on was that I didn’t want to do it again. But it’s not like this. It’s clear in a factory team you have to do it like this. My message was maybe because I was angry about a lot of questions about everything. So, I was maybe quite nervous after the race also that I said things [and] the message was not correct.”
Friday
MotoGP
Fabio Quartararo topped the Friday running for the 2022 Indonesian MotoGP at the stunning seaside venue of Mandalika, setting a 1:31.608 at the end of FP2.
Just two weeks after a rough debut as World Champion in Qatar where he finished eighth, Quartararo steadily worked his way up the timesheets over the FP2 session and put in a soft rear tire for the time attack, where he would eventually better teammate Franco Morbidelli by 0.03s with Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco third for the day, 0.285s further back.
Zarco headed teammate Jorge Martin and round one winner Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing Ducati) and the first factory Ducati of Jack Miller, with the Australian clocking a 1:31.965. Miller was in much better shape than teammate Francesco Bagnaia, who had both his fast laps scratched at the end of the session due to crashes from Bastianini and Marc Marquez, leaving the Italian languishing down in 21st position. With rain on the forecast for Saturday, it’s possible the results from FP2 could decide who goes through to the all-important Q2, leaving Bagnaia with much work to do.
Rounding out the top 10 was Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro, KTM’s Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira, and Suzuki’s Alex Rins.
Bagnaia wasn’t the only big name to miss his chance at a top 10 place, with FP1 pacesetter Pol Espargaro down in 19th, Joan Mir (Suzuki) 20th, and Marc Marquez mired down in 22nd.
2022 Indonesian MotoGP Results—Friday
1 |
Fabio Quartararo |
Yam |
1:31.608 |
2 |
Franco Morbidelli |
Yam |
+0.03 |
3 |
Johann Zarco |
Duc |
+0.285 |
4 |
Jorge Martin |
Duc |
+0.296 |
5 |
Enea Bastianini |
Duc |
+0.313 |
6 |
Jack Miller |
Duc |
+0.357 |
7 |
Aleix Espargaro |
Apr |
+0.4 |
8 |
Brad Binder |
KTM |
+0.409 |
9 |
Miguel Oliveira |
KTM |
+0.441 |
10 |
Alex Rins |
Suz |
+0.498 |
Moto2
Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) has ended Friday in Indonesia as the fastest rider in the Moto2 class, and by some distance. The British rider’s 1:35.897 was a substantial 0.431s quicker than Celestino Vietti’s (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) effort in a dry FP2, with FP1 pacesetter Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) completing the top three.
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) finished the day fourth but will have to serve a long lap penalty after crashing while not respecting the waved yellow flag.
Americans Cameron Beaubier (American Racing Team), Joe Roberts (Italtrans Kalex) and Sean Dylan Kelly (American Racing Team) finished the day 12th, 21st, and 27th, respectively.
2022 Indonesian Moto2 Results—Friday
1 |
Jake Dixon |
GasGas |
1:35.897 |
2 |
Celestino Vietti |
Kal |
+0.431 |
3 |
Sam Lowes |
Kal |
+0.594 |
12 |
Cameron Beaubier |
Kal |
+1.159 |
21 |
Joe Roberts |
Kal |
+1.576 |
27 |
Sean Dylan Kelly |
Kal |
+2.328 |
Moto3
Qatar GP race winner and Moto3 World Championship leader Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) topped the timesheets on Friday at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, the Italian taking to the top in a dry FP2 to set the pace. Migno’s 1:40.960 was 0.273s clear of second-place Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP), the Spaniard leaping up into the top three on his last lap, while Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) slots in P3 after Day 1.
2022 Indonesian Moto3 Results—Friday
1 |
Andrea Migno |
(Hon) |
1:40.960 |
2 |
Carlos Tatay |
(CF Moto) |
+0.273 |
3 |
Dennis Foggia |
(Hon) |
+0.299 |
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