Because he was able to watch the turbulent Q1 action from the pits, Johann Zarco had the right strategy in Q2 at Portimao, which ultimately led to pole
This is the third Ducati pole of the young 2022 MotoGP season, and once again it comes from a Pramac rider. After Jorge Martin had set the fastest time in Q2 in Losail and Austin, Johann Zarco came out on top in the exciting Q2 at Portimao.
With his pole for the 2022 Portuguese Grand Prix on Sunday, Zarco has the best starting position for a MotoGP race for the first time since the 2021 German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring. But getting there on Saturday was anything but easy.
“To go for pole with slicks in these treacherous conditions is something I didn’t expect,” Zarco admits, describing his qualifying strategy: “With rain tyres I usually feel very comfortable on a drying track. But in Q2, slicks were the order of the day, even though there were still a few damp patches. It was great to be able to analyse Q1. Because that was the most difficult session ever in my opinion. “
In the aforementioned first qualifying segment, Zarco was a spectator, having qualified directly for Q2 with his lap time from the first three free practices. While numerous riders crashed in the difficult conditions in Q1, Zarco was able to watch the action in peace from the pits. The Q2 strategy then tipped the scales in favour of the Frenchman’s pole.
“With the slick I just stayed out,” explained Zarco, “because the track was getting better every lap. On my penultimate lap there was a yellow because Pol [Espargaro] was supported. Then on the last lap I attacked fully. But as I said, I didn’t expect this pole. That’s why I’m even more happy about it.”
Dry conditions are forecast for race day in Portimao. With no dry track sessions so far this weekend, apart from Q2, and only the warm-up on Sunday before the race, Zarco and his Pramac crew around crew chief Marco Rigamonti want to rely on last year’s data.
“We have the experience from October last year,” Zarco thinks back to the second of two Portimao weekends on the MotoGP calendar and notes: “The tyres this time are almost the same as then. The decisive factor will be what temperatures we will find this time. Maybe we can learn something in the warm-up. “
