2022 Mugello MotoGP FP3 Result: Bagnaia Takes Control Despite Tumble

The premier class enjoyed what could be their final dry session in Mugello and home favourite Pecco Bagnaia put the local fans through a bit of a rollercoaster, starting the session with a big tumble at Correntaio before going half a second quicker than Friday’s benchmark. The Italian’s tale was the same as Ducati’s in FP3, the session starting with tumbles, gravel trap excursions and technical issues for the Bologna bullets but ending with seven of them hogging the top 10 positions. Although he got demoted from the prime position held on Friday, Aleix Espargaro was the only rider to break the Ducati party, the Aprilia man up to second, two tenths off top spot and with minuscule gaps behind him.

Teammates Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi sandwiched Johann Zarco in the rest of the top five, while Enea Bastianini in Gresini’s funky new livery secured sixth position despite a late crash at the final corner, while on a hot lap. Jorge Martin also took Pramac’s new sponsor livery for a trip through the gravel earlier in the session but recovered to claim seventh position. The remaining top 10 places went to two Hondas and a Yamaha, Pol Espargaro leading colleague Takaaki Nakagami, while Marc Marquez struggled to stay in the top 20. Fabio Quartararo yoyo-ed up and down the timesheets throughout the session and found himself out of Q2 contention in the final five minutes of FP3, but the world champion managed to save the day with 10th place.

After leading the session early on, Maverick Viñales missed out on Q2 placements by only two hundredths of a second and will be in fine company in Q1, with the likes of Jack Miller, who could not do better than 15th after a technical issue shortened his running, Marc Marquez, who struggled to get within a second of the leader, the two Suzukis, who got pushed back late in the session and all the KTMs.

Results: