Francesco Bagnaia posted the best lap time during MotoGP practice Friday afternoon at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Lenovo Ducati on spec Michelin tires, the two-time and defending World Champion topped the field of 23 riders with a lap time of 1:30.685 around the 2.6-mile course.
Six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez was the best of the rest with a 1:30.870 on his Gresini Racing Ducati.
Current World Championship point leader Jorge Martin was third-fastest with a 1:30.966 on his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati.
Martin’s teammate Franco Morbidelli continued his rejuvenated run of form by placing fourth in the session with a 1:30.967.
Bagnaia’s teammate Enea Bastianini made it five Ducatis in the top five with a 1:31.067.
Pedro Acosta was the fastest non-Ducati rider with a sixth-quickest 1:37.203 on his Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 machine.
Pertaminia Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati rider Marco Bezzecchi was seventh at 1:31.229.
Maverick Vinales was the top Aprilia man, eighth, with a time of 1:31.301 on his factory RS-GP.
Armed with new developments on his Monster Energy Yamaha, Fabio Quartararo placed ninth in the afternoon session with a lap of 1:31.313.
Jack Miller took the 10th and final pass directly to Q2 by doing a 1:31.320 on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Bagnaia chased by Marquez and Martin on Day 1 at Misano
The top three in the title fight lock out the top on Friday – with Morbidelli and Bastianini hot on their heels
Friday, 06 September 2024
MotoGP™ brought fireworks at the end of Friday at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, but it’s some familiar names throwing down the gauntlet ahead of super Saturday. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was able to bounce back from a tougher Aragon GP in style with a 1:30.685, the #1 leaving it late to set his time but ending the opening day 0.185s ahead of Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). The eight-time World Champion also left his best till last, improving on his 27th and final lap. The #93 ends the day in front of Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin, with the Spaniard rounding out the top three spots but by a single thousandth ahead of teammate Franco Morbidelli.
There were plenty of storylines which developed throughout the day including some early drama for Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ Team), with the #20 losing the wings on his swingarm in the opening stages. As Quartararo returned to the pits, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) was at the top of the standings, setting a strong 1:31.672 as the session began to heat up.
Time attacks began with less than 20 minutes remaining, with Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) soon storming to the top. Acosta quickly responded before he crashed at Turn 8, and the top spot changed hands again in short order as Marc Marquez went fastest. By the end of play, however, it was Bagnaia reigning supreme on Friday to deny the Aragon GP winner the top spot.
Morbidelli impressed to trail Martin by that single thousandth, with Bastianini slotting into fifth.He heads through to Q2 this time round after a tougher start to the Grand Prix last weekend.
Sixth place went the way of Acosta, who remained inside the top 10 despite his crash and importantly kept direct entry to Q2. Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) charged to seventh place as the #72 begins to set sights on moving forward at a venue where he enjoyed podium success in 2023.
Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) was the sole Aprilia inside the top 10, after taking eighth place in Practice. Just behind him and despite some early drama, it was an impressive end to the end for Quartararo, who pushed to P9. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) took the final spot inside the top 10 after a strong lap, with teammate Brad Binder just losing out.
That means a blockbuster Q1 awaits, with Binder joined by the likes of Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), who suffered an early end to Practice after crashing out in the final two minutes of the day – finishing down in P12. Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team’s Fabio Di Giannantonio, who continues his recovery after a crash in Austria, will also be looking to move through on home turf. Just us for more fireworks on super Saturday as Misano prepares to serve up a storm!
FP2: 10:10 (UTC +2)
Q1: 10:50
Q2: 11.15
Tissot Sprint: 15:00
Canet claims Day 1 top spot to lead home hero Vietti
Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) leads the intermediate class standings as Saturday appears on the horizon after the #44’s 1:35.561 was good enough to beat Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) by 0.131s. QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™’s Manuel Gonzalez led for most of Practice 1, but a late shuffle sees the Spaniard sit in P3 as Friday draws to a close at the San Marino GP.
– Fourth place went the way of Aragon GP podium finisher Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), with the Italian just under three tenths down on Canet’s afternoon pace.
– Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) rounded out the top six as the Japanese star continues to build his way back up to full fitness, as the Beta Tools SpeedUp duo of Alonso Lopez and Fermin Aldeguer bagged Friday top 10s in P7 and P9 respectively.
– Following a small tip-off at Turn 8, in form Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) has work to do from P13 – and so does World Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI). The #3 was declared fit after a big crash in Free Practice, but a P24 finish on Friday means Saturday morning is a crucial session for the Spaniard. Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) is another title hopeful that needs to find time after the American was 20th in Practice 1.
Fernandez sets lap record to be fastest out the blocks at Misano
A 1:40.909 new lap record in the closing stages of Practice 1 secured Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) top spot heading into Saturday’s action at Misano, but the Spaniard isn’t sitting too comfortably at the summit as Aragon GP race winner, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), claimed P2 – 0.076s adrift. World Championship leader David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) picked up P3, the Colombian just under two tenths away from Fernandez’s impressive pace on Friday afternoon.
– Rookie Angel Piqueras made it two Leopard Racing Hondas placed inside the top four ahead of Practice 2 on Saturday morning.
– Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) was the next highest title-chasing rider in the Friday standings, the Spaniard set the sixth quickest time of the day to sit three tenths shy of the summit.
– Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), the rider second in the title chase, squeezed just inside the top 10 in P9, one spot behind Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) in P8.
