MotoGP Indonesian GP: Marc Marquez tops FP3 but will still face volatile Q1

Heavy rain ahead of Saturday’s track action beginning left the Mandalika circuit damp for the start of the third MotoGP session of the weekend.

As a result, there would be no overall lap time improvements on the combined order and a volatile group will face Q1 in qualifying later today.

That group features six-time world champion Marquez and his Honda team-mate Pol Espargaro, after a crash and a technical issue hit both riders in FP2, while Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia and 2020 world champion Joan Mir on the Suzuki will join them.

The early laps in FP3 were completed on wet tyres, with KTM’s Miguel Oliveira setting the early pace with a 1m44.014s and would trade top spot with Marquez and Jack Miller for a good chunk of the session.

Around 15 minutes in, Ducati’s Miller took to the circuit on slick rubber as a suitable dry line had appeared and shot to the top of the order with a 1m40.284s.

He would continue to improve this over the next few tours to a 1m37.481s, prompting the rest of the field into a switch to slicks.

It was at this point Marquez took control of the session, the Honda rider taking over top spot again with a 1m36.211s with 15 minutes remaining.

Marquez would chip away at this time and get it down to a 1m34.344s with just a few minutes left on the clock.

Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing

Photo by: Xaveria Yunita

The Honda rider would end the morning with a 1m34.067s, but remains 22nd on the combined times, while future Q1 opponent Francesco Bagnaia was 0.183 seconds behind in second on his Ducati.

VR46 Ducati rider Marco Bezzecchi leaped up to third late on ahead of team-mate Luca Marini, though both also face Q1 later today.

The first of the Q2 runners was Alex Rins – who has a technical issue in FP3