MotoGP Press:

Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) pulled the pin to perfection in the Tissot Sprint at Silverstone, flying to victory by over three seconds after out-pacing Championship leader Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team). The battle for the podium was a gloves-off throwdown behind, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Team) coming out on top in a five-rider scrap on Saturday.
OPENING STAGES: the duel for the lead emerges

Quartararo took the holeshot from pole as the Ducati trio behind scuffled over second, with Alex Marquez able to grab it back despite a lunge round the outside from Marc Marquez, the #93 having launched from fourth and sending it. So El Diablo led Alex, Marc and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), but by the end of the Wellington Straight on Lap 1 the #93 was up into second. By the end of the Hangar Straight, Marc Marquez was through into the lead.

It seemed ominous with six Sprint wins in a row behind him but there was time left on the clock yet this time round, and Alex Marquez was soon on his tail after himself dispatching Quartararo over the line. Not long after, Marc Marquez was wide at Turn 3 and the #73 needed no invitation, taking over in the lead and the duo then starting to build a gap, leaving Quartararo vs Bagnaia vs Diggia as the battle for third.
GLOVES OFF, GAUNTLET THROWN: the battle for P3

Bagnaia was past the Yamaha not long after and the #49 was able to follow suit, but there was a spectacular Fabio-on-Fabio duel for it. As Diggia closed in on Bagnaia, Quartararo suddenly seemed to surge closer to them again too – but by then Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) was on the way to get involved. And even more so, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), as the #72 put on a serious charge after having dropped well outside the top ten off the line.

Alex Marquez continued to hold off Marc in the lead, but that battle behind erupted. Bezzecchi struck against Zarco first, and next up the Aprilia had target lock on Quartararo. He got past him at the end of the Wellington Straight and then homed in on Bagnaia – with Diggia managing to put in the metres to pull away and escape the melee. The #49 seemed safe in that P3 as Bez then elbowed past Bagnaia before Zarco then shot past the #63 into Maggots and Becketts. Quartararo was left trying to find his way through on Bagnaia too, but just ran out of laps.

PIN PULLED: Alex Marquez unbeatable

At the front, Alex Marquez kept that hammer down, didn’t make a single mistake, and slowly edged out a gap to then pull the pin in style – breaking that streak of consecutive Sprint wins and taking his own first Sprint win since 2023. Marc Marquez was forced to settle for second, and Diggia makes a rostrum return for the first time since a GP podium in Austin.

Behind, Bezzecchi’s charge from near the back of the grid resulted in an impressive fourth, with his pace one to watch on Sunday if he has less to do off the line. Zarco was fifth, with Bagnaia just holding on to that sixth place ahead of Quartararo.

Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) made a late charge to eighth at the expense of Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) as the rookie was elbowed back out the points, with the Saturday scorers therefore completed by Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Team) after the Australian ran strong early on and was able to hold P9.

>>>>>>>>>>>>ALEX MARQUEZ #73
“We’re happy: both Marc and Pecco placed me as the favourite, but until you take to the track, you never know where you’re really at. Tomorrow it’ll be a whole different story but for once I must say that on paper we can battle for the win with Marc. For now, we’ll enjoy this first sprint win.”

FERMIN ALDEGUER #54
“It wasn’t an easy Saturday; we started well in the Sprint, but I made a mistake already on lap two, lost six positions and with the soft tyre, both the Hondas and the Yamahas were very close to the Ducatis in terms of performance, so I struggled. In the last lap I tried to overtake Acosta and ended up on the grass. We can do well tomorrow: we’re starting from row two and we must fight at least for the top ten.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MotoGP™ returned to Silverstone for a cloudy Super Saturday at the Tissot Grand Prix of the United Kingdom, with Red Bull KTM Tech3 facing qualifying in the morning, before 10 laps of sprint craziness later in the afternoon. After qualifying in 18th on the grid, Maverick Viñales finished 13th in the sprint, and teammate Enea Bastianini took the 15th place, from 17th on the grid.

Qualifying
The weather was not quite the same on Saturday morning in Silverstone, leaving riders to face different track conditions – cold, humid and windy – ahead of the tricky qualifying shootout. After having narrowly missed out on a direct Q2 ticket, Maverick Viñales was eager to try securing that coveted place for the ultimate fight for the pole. The feeling was positive after FP2 as we saw ‘Top Gun’ take the 4th fastest time of the session with a 1'59.531, just before heading to qualifying 1. In a very busy session, Maverick started with a 1’59.159 which powered him up to a provisional 2nd just behind Raul Fernandez. Others logically improved, and Viñales was in 6th as all returned to their pit boxes. Unfortunately, the number 12 was denied his share of opportunities as a technical issue forced him to retire from the session shortly after his return on track. His 1’59.159 meant that he will start both sprint and main race from 18th on the grid. After his 13 laps in FP2 and a best in 2'00.542, Enea Bastianini kicked off his Q1 shootout with an early lap in 1'59.400 which had him in 8th at the break. After a quick change of tyres, the Italian managed to improve to a 1'59.158, which will see him line up in 17th on the grid, just ahead of his teammate, by 0.001 seconds!

Tissot Sprint
As lights of the Tissot Sprint were out at 16:00 local time (UTC+1), Enea Bastianini first gained one position to 16th through the packed first corners, then up to 13th after the second sector to place himself just behind Brad Binder, before eventually dropping two positions to exit the opening lap in 15th behind Marco Bezzecchi. Shortly after, Franco Morbidelli moved past him, but the early lap 2 crash from Brad Binder gave him back the 15th place, now just 0.285 from Bezzecchi. The number 72’s solid pace saw him quickly grow the gap, leaving ‘Bestia’ behind Franco Morbidelli for a while, until Maverick Viñales caught him back from behind to move past him on lap 4. If we are usually used to an increase of pace as laps go by, Bastianini appeared to struggle finding the right way on his RC16 today. Viñales made a significant gap ahead, while Miguel Oliveira was more than one second behind. Enea kept his 15th position until the checkered flag, and he will be looking forward to trying to bring some improvements for the long distance on Sunday. After a disappointing qualifying, Maverick Viñales launched from 18th on the grid behind his teammate. He struggled to find his way in the hectic few turns, and dropped to 19th after one lap, 0.161 seconds behind Miguel Oliveira. Maverick moved up to 17th on lap 2 after overtaking the Portuguese, and the next lap, he overcame Raul Fernandez thanks to a faster early pace. Quickly, he caught back on teammate Bastianini just ahead, and that was P14 for Maverick after 4 laps. Next ahead, there was Franco Morbidelli, which was now Maverick’s focus, while his pace allowed him to significantly make the gap on the number 23. A late mistake from Firmin Aldeguer at the front in the final lap eventually earned Maverick one more position, as he crossed the finish-line in P13. No sprint points today for the Red Bull KTM Tech3 riders, but they will be both eager for the long distance on Sunday. Tomorrow is the big day, with the main event of the Tissot Grand Prix of the United Kingdom scheduled at 13:00 LT (UTC+1), for 20 laps!

Maverick Viñales: "We are clearly lacking experience with the KTM on this low-grip track, so it is a good weekend to learn and improve the feeling. We felt good in the second half of the sprint, I was catching the group in front, but we need to be patient and keep working. We have to improve how we enter the corners, because it then compromises the acceleration, and all of this is because of the low grip. We have a good set up when track conditions are normal, but we have seen this weekend that there is still a long way to go when conditions are different."

Enea Bastianini: "The day has been quite difficult, because it is a bit frustrating to compare my lap times this year to the ones I had last year at that same track. Starting this morning, we felt something on the bike, the tyres were dropping quickly, so we tried some changes and it became better. We gave everything we had in qualifying, but it is not enough at the moment to make it to Q2 unfortunately. In the sprint, we suffered a lot with the rear grip, after 3 laps, the tyre dropped a lot which was strange. The strong wind was also not easy to manage, but anyway, we need to check all of these issues carefully tonight, and arrive tomorrow with better solutions."

Nicolas Goyon, Team Manager: "This British Grand Prix is not exactly going as we were expecting. Maverick Viñales does not feel bad on the bike, but he was unlucky in Q1 with a technical issue in his last run. He would have had a good chance to go through without this issue, but that meant 18th on the grid, and the story becomes totally different. In the sprint, he rode with a decent pace and finished with a P13, which still highlights his potential for Sunday. It is not what we wanted, but I believe that tomorrow will be a different race with different tyres, and he has strong chances for the top 10. Enea Bastianini has not felt comfortable since the start of the weekend, he has struggled to find a good set up. He struggled in qualifying, and then in the sprint. However, we are staying positive, we know that Enea is strong with low grip conditions, and a different rear tyre on Sunday should help him score a few points."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Marini and Mir chase points in British GP Sprint

Steps forward in Qualifying for Luca Marini as he earned eighth on the grid via Q1 after impressive overnight gains, the Italian and teammate Joan Mir fighting on the edge of the points in an electric Sprint race.

Melancholic clouds hung over the Silverstone circuit as the second day of British GP action got underway. A brief Free Practice 2 session let the Honda HRC Castrol team run through last-minute setup changes before an all-important Q1 session began for both riders.

Seizing the opportunity with both hands, Luca Marini produced a perfectly timed lap to advance through as the fastest rider of the Q1 session. His 1’58.209 would put him just under a tenth clear of Morbidelli as narrow margins divided the field. Improving to a 1’58.135 would earn him top Honda honours in Q2 and see Marini earn eighth on the grid, his second-best grid position as a Honda HRC rider. The lap time is also almost a full second faster than his lap from Qualifying in 2024.

Achieving his first target of the weekend, the #10 dove for the inside as the lights went out on the 10-lap Sprint race. Locking horns with Bezzecchi and Acosta early on, Marini enjoyed a number of fierce fights throughout before coming home in 10th, 0.3s off a point scoring finish. A solid base to build on tomorrow.

Aiming to emulate his teammate, Joan Mir would again miss the crucial transfer cut off by less than 0.1s in Q1. A best time of 1’58.322 placed the #36 within 0.023s of joining his teammate in the battle for the front four rows of the grid. With strong pace in his pocket, Mir launched from 13th on the grid and tried to settle into his rhythm. Unable to fully replicate his feeling from the morning, Mir finished in 12th and was left searching for more.

Now all attentions turn to Sunday and the 20-lap Grand Prix of the United Kingdom, scheduled to take place at 13:00 Local Time, before the Moto3 race.

Luca Marini
10th

“Super satisfied with the job that me and the team did in the morning. We worked hard last night to set up the bike better for Qualifying and we finally made the step we have been looking for. I was feeling really comfortable to push for one lap and we achieved one target we had set. In the Sprint, I didn’t have the same feeling and normally we suffer with the Moto2 session before. I was able to put up a good fight with the other riders, but I was wanting more honestly. We know that we always do better on Sunday and with this better grid position, I am confident we can challenge for something.”

Joan Mir
12th

“Until the Sprint race we were working a lot to find the last few tenths in Qualifying because that’s all we need – less than half a tenth and we were in Q2. On the other hand, my pace has been strong all weekend, and I was confident of doing a good result in the Sprint. A tough race, a tough day to be honest. Our pace wasn’t what we had expected it to be and I couldn’t make up the positions I was expecting to. We have one more day to try something tomorrow before moving on to the next challenge.”


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<CASTROL Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco secures a strong 5th position in Saturday’s Sprint at the iconic Silverstone Circuit. His Saturday at the British Grand Prix unfolded like this:

During qualifying, Johann Zarco crashed while striving to record a lap time fast enough for the front row. Despite this setback, he secured 9th place on the grid.
At Sprint time, undeterred, Zarco launched a calculated and confident start from the third row, showcasing impressive pace and composure. As the laps unfolded, he overtook rivals with precision and consistency, steadily climbing through the field until the last inch of the race.
He took the chequered flag in 5th position, once again emerging as the fastest Honda rider on track, proof of both his speed and determination.

Johann Zarco 5th

"I'm pretty happy after today! Starting from ninth position on this track is tough, especially because the first corner is very demanding. I tried to manage the situation, got a good start, and from there I was able to control the bike the way I wanted, especially my pace and traction. That gave me an advantage with my riding style, and I really enjoyed the battles with my rivals. This fifth place is a great result! I'd like to thank the team, the sponsors, and everyone who believes in us. We'll try to repeat this performance tomorrow!"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MARCO BEZZECCHI FOURTH AFTER A SPECTACULAR COMEBACK RIDE, LORENZO SAVADORI EIGHTEENTH

It was an exciting sprint race at the Silverstone Circuit, with Aprilia Racing as protagonist thanks to a high-brow performance by Marco Bezzecchi, who finished fourth after an extraordinary comeback.

In qualifying, Marco was unable to replicate the good feeling he had demonstrated on Friday, partially due to a yellow flag which compromised his final attempt at a time attack, finishing Q2 in eleventh place. In the sprint race, he fell back to the rear of the pack at the start, finding himself in nineteenth place by the end of the first lap. From that moment on, he was protagonist of a brilliant comeback, maintaining a fast and incisive race pace which thrust him all the way up to fourth place, just missing a spot on the podium. It was a solid performance that confirms the growing feeling between Bezzecchi and the RS-GP25 and represents the best result of the season thus far for the Italian rider.

Lorenzo Savadori, hard at work developing the RS-GP25, continued his efforts refining new upgrades tested in the race, finishing in eighteenth place.
bezzecchi


I’m happy. It was a great sprint race and I had fun. It’s a shame about the small complication at the start which conditioned the early stage of the race. In fact, at a certain point, I found myself in nineteenth place. In any case, it was an extremely positive sprint race. The long race will be different, because managing the tyres will be fundamental, as will a good start. We are working well. The team is doing a great job and I want to thank each one of them.

savadori


The things we’ve been testing for a few races now are starting to work better. They obviously needed to be fine-tuned and we still have not achieved perfection, but when the time comes, they’ll be introduced on Marco’s bike as well. We are taking small steps forward and it is extremely positive. It’s also great to see Marco so fast, in spite of being so far back on the first lap.

sterlacchini


It was a positive sprint race, although a bit conditioned by the qualifiers. Marco had a thrilling comeback ride that confirms the technical value of what we are doing. The base is there, so we simply need to line everything up and achieve the results, because the performance is clearly there as well. We’ll keep working to try and take another step forward in the long race. With more laps to work with, we may be able to take better advantage of our consistency over race distance.

>>>>>>>>>>>>Acosta leads a fightback at MotoGP™ UK Grand Prix for Saturday Sprint points
MotoGP 2025 - Round 07 of 22, Silverstone, UK – Qualification and Sprint

Pedro Acosta rode to 8th position for the seventh MotoGP Sprint of the year at a blustery and chilly Silverstone after setting off from 14th on the grid. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider steered his KTM RC16 to the top ten around one of the longest, fastest and most technical courses on the calendar. Elsewhere, Moto3™ props were earned by Red Bull KTM Ajo with Jose Antonio Rueda and teammate Alvaro Carpe the fastest in the class.



Pedro Acosta rallies strongly to grab Sprint points for the fourth time this season with the KTM RC16 after starting from the fifth row. Brad Binder crashes out at Brooklands corner
Maverick Viñales recovers to P13 after a tough time in Q1 where his push for Q2 was ended prematurely. He classified two positions ahead of Red Bull KTM Tech3 teammate Enea Bastianini
Moto3™ dominance for Red Bull KTM Ajo as Jose Antonio Rueda initially seals a second Pole Position of 2025 but was later hit with a back-of-the-grid penalty and Alvaro Carpe will start from P1

Spring in England meant a ‘four seasons in one weekend’ climate as MotoGP tasted sunshine, cold, wind and rain in the first two days of the Grand Prix of United Kingdom. Silverstone’s vast, exposed and complex motorsport facility offered the longest and one of the quickest layouts of the season. Around the 18 curves on a bright but breezy Friday, Pedro Acosta was only four hundredths of a second from direct Q2. The Spaniard had to enter Q1 on a cool and grey Saturday morning along with countryman Maverick Viñales as Brad Binder and Enea Bastianini were also looking for consistency through the sectors for the best attack on the stopwatch.

When Q1 and Q2 were completed early Saturday afternoon Acosta was the lead runner in 14th. His last flying lap was scrubbed when he ran wide braking into Stowe corner. Bastianini, Viñales and Binder were separated by just over a tenth of a second and were 17th, 18th and 19th. Viñales’ fierce quest for Q2 was ended by a technical issue.

The Sprint lasted for 10 laps and for the usual full-throttle fare for Saturday championship points. Brad Binder lost control into Turn 7, Brooklands, while trying to muscle his way into the top ten in the formative stages. The South African was trying to follow Acosta who rode well and made some gutsy moves to work up from P14 to P8. Behind the Spaniard, Viñales was another racer on a charge and found P13 after a difficult start. Bastianini was close behind his teammate.

Sunday’s Grand Prix race will circulate Silverstone for 20 laps and will start at 13.00 local time (14.00 CET).

Pedro Acosta, 14th in qualification, 8th in the Sprint: “We did what we could do. It was frustrating not to have the ‘tools’ that we wanted today. We could fight up to a point and it was a good comeback. We are not here to finish 8th and not what we are working for, so we need to make a step. I want to compete. I have a lot of confidence in the team. The work they have made in every series is awesome. These guys are winners and know how to win championships and somehow we are just missing something in MotoGP at the moment and sooner or later we will make a big step. We need it soon.”

Maverick Viñales, 18th in qualification, 13th in the Sprint: “Making experience on the bike. We’re lacking it on this track so it’s a good weekend to learn and improve the feeling with the bike. I felt quite strong in the Sprint after lap six-seven because I could see I was catching the group in front but we need a bit more and to keep patient while we work to increase our potential. We are compromising our acceleration because of entry on the corners and with less grip today we could feel the difference but I hope with the work we did today we can gain tomorrow.”

Enea Bastianini, 17th in qualification, 15th in the Sprint: “A difficult day for me. I had something strange on the bike with a lot of tire drop from the morning. I tried to fight through the time attack but at the moment we are not competitive. I gave 100% but we are not there yet for Q2. In the Sprint the same issue from earlier in the day. I tried something different but we need to check and see why the spin on the rear was not normal.”

Brad Binder, 19th in qualification, DNF in the Sprint: “Qualifying clearly wasn’t very good but I knew what I had to do for the race: get a start and push-on. I got the start and passed a lot of guys but lost the front when I was pushing more. It’s far from ideal and the last thing I wanted. We have to forget and try again tomorrow. I feel that the top ten is within our reach. Quali was not good but racing is different.”

Aki Ajo, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “I talk quite frequently about the positives of the GP weekends and the progress we are making, and this is in our systems and our processes. We are moving forwards, but we need a little patience. Jerez, for example, was good for the calm approach and the simplicity; of testing less things and making less changes. This weekend has been more challenging so far than the last two-three races and I think it is related to the track state and the low grip we have at the moment. We could see and feel this in the Quali and the start of the Sprint, which were a bit tougher for us compared to our competitors. Again, I want to keep positive for tomorrow when we go with the harder tires and the longer GP. I think we have the chance to improve. The work is never-ending, but the challenges are still there when we have new tires. With the longer distance we can show a bit more, as we have seen a few times this season.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Marc Márquez and the Ducati Lenovo Team take second place in the Silverstone Sprint. Francesco Bagnaia finishes sixth at the flag.

Alex Márquez wins the Sprint with the Ducati machine of the Gresini Racing Team. Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Racing Team) completes an all-Ducati podium in third

Marc Márquez, aboard his Desmosedici GP machine, claimed second place in the ten-lap Silverstone Sprint. Francesco Bagnaia finished sixth at the chequered flag in the seventh Saturday race of the season.

Márquez enjoyed a good start from row two and took the lead already during the opening lap. After running wide in the following lap, Marc stayed in the battle for the win until the final stages, finishing second. Bagnaia, who was running third in the central part of the encounter, suffered some grip issues in the final laps and ultimately ended up sixth.

The riders of the Ducati Lenovo Team will be back in action tomorrow morning at 9:40 local time (GMT +1) for the warmup, which will be followed by the 20-lap race of the Grand Prix of the United Kingdom – getting underway at 13:00.

Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 2nd
“With this second place, we saved our Saturday. So far this year, this has been the weekend where I’ve had the hardest time. Alex seems to have the better rhythm, and I think it’ll continue to be this way tomorrow, too. When I was in his slipstream, I kept losing the front and at one point, due to a burst of wind, I almost crashed; as I knew I had a three-second advantage on third place, I chose to secure the nine points. Unfortunately, with this wind you never know what can happen, as it changes every lap, and it looks like tomorrow it will be even stronger, so we’ll need to be very careful.”

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 6th
“Today I got a good start and tried to stay with the leading duo, but after four laps there was a clear drop in rear-end grip, and from then on, I was unable to be competitive. As I couldn’t be effective under braking, I had to use the rear more to make the bike turn, and that led to excessive tyre wear. We’re working on finding the right direction to bridge the gap, while also trying to improve my riding style and get back to the tyre management level I had in previous years.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>Miller Grabs First Sprint Point for Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP at Silverstone – Eyes Set on Stronger Sunday Race
At the end of the Sprint Race that kicked off the British GP weekend, Jack Miller and the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP team earned their first Saturday points of the season. The Australian rider, who secured a strong sixth-place start thanks to an excellent qualifying session in the morning, crossed the line in 9th place. Miguel Oliveira, starting from the fifth row, finished 16th. The main race, a 20-lap showdown, is scheduled for tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. local time (GMT +1).
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP

GRAND PRIX OF GREAT BRITAIN
SPRINT
Silverstone (Great Britain) 24th May 2025
9th
JACK MILLER
20'03"580 / 10 LAPS Rider
16th
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA
20'12"870 / 10 LAPS Rider
It was a Saturday of determination and passion at Silverstone for the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP team. In the morning qualifying session, Jack Miller delivered an impressive sixth-place finish, confirming both his affinity with the British track and the overall progress of the Yamaha YWR-M1. Yamaha‘s strength was further demonstrated by Fabio Quartararo‘s third consecutive pole position of the season, a clear sign of the bike‘s improved one-lap pace on new tires. Miguel Oliveira also showed signs of progress, clocking the fifth-fastest time in Q1 and narrowly missing out on a Q2 spot by just over two tenths of a second.

With encouraging signs from both riders, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP approached the Sprint Race grid aiming to finally break their Saturday points drought—and mission accomplished. Miller had a solid start, holding on to sixth place for the first half of the 10-lap race and staying within reach of the battle for the final podium spot. However, from lap six onward, rear grip issues began to take a toll, forcing him to gradually drop positions. He slipped out of the points on lap nine but managed to capitalize on a rival‘s mistake on the final lap, clinching 9th place and securing his first Sprint point of the season.

As for Oliveira, he also got off the line well but was forced to run wide at Turn 7 on the opening lap to avoid Franco Morbidelli, who braked earlier than expected to disengage a stuck front device. The maneuver cost Oliveira three positions. Struggling with rear grip throughout the race, the Portuguese rider ultimately finished 16th.

After the first race of the seventh round of the championship, Miller remains 17th in the overall standings with 20 points, while Oliveira sits 23rd with 2 points.

British GP MotoGP Time schedule (GMT +1): Sunday 9.40 Warm-up 13.00 Race (20 laps – 118 km)

GINO BORSOI
Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP

"Surely, we were expecting a bit more from the Sprint Race after Jack‘s excellent qualifying performance that placed him on the second row. Unfortunately, both he and Miguel struggled with poor rear grip during the race, which prevented them from fighting for better positions. In the end, after a race that required a lot of effort and resilience, Jack still managed to bring home a point—his and the team‘s first in a Saturday race—which boosts morale and helps us move up in the standings. As for Miguel, he lost positions on the opening lap while avoiding another rider, and from that moment on, his race became an uphill battle. Still, we saw encouraging signs of progress from him as well. Now, we need to focus on understanding how to improve in order to be more competitive in terms of pace and race distance."

JACK MILLER
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Rider
“I scored my first points in the Sprint, and I‘ll take that as a positive. But this afternoon we were struggling right from the start. I‘m not sure if it was due to the track conditions or something else, but the bike was moving around more than I expected. I think all of us Yamaha riders had a tougher time this afternoon compared to the morning or yesterday. We all had the same issues with corner entry, mid-corner, and exit, especially in the flowing corners. Turn 9 was particularly difficult for me; I think that everyone was passing me there. I was searching for traction everywhere but just couldn‘t find any. I think tomorrow will be a different story with the medium rear tire. Overall, I‘m still happy with a decent day where, at least in the early stages, I was able to fight a bit. Now let‘s see what tomorrow brings.”

MIGUEL OLIVEIRA
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Rider
"It was a bit of a complicated Sprint right from the start. I actually got off the line well and made up a couple of positions, but then in Turn 7 I had to go wide to avoid Morbidelli, who braked early to release his front device, which hadn‘t disengaged yet. Three riders got past me there. On top of that, I had very little rear grip from the beginning, the tire just didn‘t perform like it did in qualifying. I‘m still missing about 4–5 tenths per lap to stay with the others, but I already knew back in Le Mans that I would have these 3–4 races where I‘d need to work on regaining my speed, step by step. I‘m taking it easy, not rushing things, but already this weekend I‘m battling with more riders than I was in France. Right now, it‘s all about me, not the bike. We‘ve seen that the bike is strong, especially on a single lap. But it's mainly Fabio, who‘s in great form, getting the most out of it and riding it nearly to perfection."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MASSIMO MEREGALLI
Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP

"Today's third consecutive pole and All Time Lap Record was another great moment for Yamaha and the team. However, we knew that while Fabio's one-lap performance is strong, race pace would be trickier. On top of this, the track conditions were not great, and all Yamaha riders suffered from a lack of grip because of it. Fabio was fighting hard for every position and point and got the best result possible under the circumstances. Álex was unlucky to catch a yellow flag in qualifying, because I think he had the potential to start from the second row. He also had a solid pace in the Sprint, probably good enough for a top-10 placement. It's a shame that he ran off track, but we will get to have a do-over tomorrow. The team will analyse the data and see if we can improve in a few areas for the Race. We hope for good weather again!"

FABIO QUARTARARO
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider
"It was a really positive morning, I would say, but it wasn't that positive of an afternoon. We need to understand what happened in the Sprint. Especially with the rear tyre I was struggling right from the start. The track was also not very grippy, so it was a combination of things that meant we were not so fast. We will analyse it well and try to see if we can find something positive, but it was not the best Sprint I did. It's probably going to be a tough Race tomorrow, but I will give it my maximum, and then we'll see what our potential is like. Being realistic, fighting for a top 5 or top 6 in races is our goal right now."

ÁLEX RINS
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider
"Up until the Sprint race, the weekend was going in a good direction. In the qualifying, I ran into a yellow flag, so I couldn't improve my lap time, but the performance level was much higher than 12th. In the Sprint, a rival passed me on the back straight, and then he was on my line. I couldn't stop the bike and went into the gravel. After that, I was in last place, but I just tried to keep going at my pace. I had a lack of rear grip, maybe because of the track conditions, and we need to find out why. We will analyse everything, and let's see what the weather will be like tomorrow."