Marc Marquez was the man to beat during MotoGP World Championship practice Friday at MotorLand Aragon, in Spain. After leading Friday morning practice on his Michelin-equipped Gresini Ducati, Marquez came back in the afternoon and lapped the repaved 3.1-mile course in 1:45.801. Not only was that good enough to top the field of 22 riders, it also eclipsed Francesco Bagnaia’s All-Time Lap Record of 1:46.069 from 2022.
Aprilia factory rider Aleix Espargaro finished Friday morning’s practice second from the bottom and then he finished Friday afternoon’s practice second from the top thanks to a 1:46.073.
Espargaro’s teammate Maverick Vinales was third with a 1:46.117.
Jorge Martin turned a fourth-fastest 1:46.406 on his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati.
Marquez’s teammate and younger brother Alex Marquez was fifth at 1:46.406.
Other riders finishing in the top 10 during Friday afternoon’s session and securing their spot in Qualifying Two were Lenovo Ducati’s two-time and defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (1:46.591), Martin’s teammate Franco Morbidelli (1:46.705), Castrol LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco (1:46.732), and Trackhouse Racing teammates Raul Fernandez (1:46.840) and Miguel Oliveira (1:46.855).
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Marquez lays down a marker at MotorLand, Aprilia on the chase
The #93 makes it a first on Friday since 2021, Aprilia find some impressive form and Honda make it straight through to Q2 for the first time this season
Friday, 30 August 2024
It was a stunning end to MotoGP™ Practice at the Gran Premio GoPro de Aragon, with high-speed action and thrills to close Friday’s action. At the end of the hour-long session, it was Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) who came out on top – setting a stunning new lap record. The #93 had the best start to a weekend since the 2021 Americas GP, topping both sessions. He ended the day ahead of Aprilia Racing duo Aleix Espargaro, who jumped to second, and teammate Maverick Viñales as the Noale factory also had plenty to write home about on Day 1.
There were plenty of stories which formed throughout the session, all bubbling up to a party of red sectors. Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) suffered from some issues early on, delaying valuable running for the #73. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) crashed at Turn 5, losing the front on entry. Moments after, Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) lost the front at Turn 16, with both riders soon making their way back to the pits.
There was further drama later in the session, with Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashing at Turn 16, bringing an early end to the Australian’s Friday with less than one minute to go. And the frenzy on the timesheets had already been underway for some time.
Aprilia led right until the final flying miracle from Marquez, with the #93 getting back on top right at the end. Still, Espargaro takes that P2 and Viñales is right on his heels, the latter the only rider seemingly able to challenge Marquez on the very last lap round. But not quite, as he slotted into third.
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) took fourth after a busy session for the #89. Martin ends the day 0.578s adrift from the top, however, with Marquez two tenths clear just by himself and the Aprilia slotting into the gap. Alex Marquez recovered to P5 after a delayed start to the session, and he also did some running in tandem with the #93 side of the Gresini box.
Taking sixth it’s Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia, who is the sole Ducati Lenovo Team rider inside the top 10 after Enea Bastianini was unable to put together an uninterrupted lap due to late yellow flags. The #1 ended the session in front of Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing), making 2022 winner Bastianini the GP24 hungry for a boost up the order on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) made it a 2024 milestone day for Honda as work continues on getting back to the front of the pack. The Frenchman took eighth, becoming the first Honda to secure direct entry to Q2 in 2024. The final spots inside the top 10 were Trackhouse Racing’s Raul Fernandez and Miguel Oliveira, who made it all four RS-GPs in the top ten on a very positive day for Aprilia.
An action-packed Q1 awaits after a tough afternoon for the Pierer Mobility Group riders: Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder and teammate Miller are now forced to battle it in Q1, as well as Red Bull GASGAS Tech3’s Pedro Acosta and Augusto Fernandez. Both Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team riders Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi were also outside the top 10, ahead of Bastianini. With just two spots up for grabs in Q2 once the Q1 runners head back out, it could get spicy.
Don’t miss a minute of a super Saturday at MotorLand Aragon, with qualifying just the beginning. Then it’s time for the first ever Tissot Sprint at the venue as the Gran Premio GoPro Aragon brings the world’s most exciting sport back to Teruel with a bang.
FP2: 10:10 (UTC +2)
Q1: 10:50
Q2: 11.15
Tissot Sprint: 15:00
Lopez leads the way with new lap record ahead of timesheets tightening up
Alonso Lopez (Sync SpeedUp) completed a perfect Friday at the Gran Premio GoPro de Aragon with a new lap record in P1 after having already led the way on Friday morning. The #21 set an impressive 1:50.989 benchmark to move two tenths clear of the first on the chase, rookie Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team), with CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team’s Jake Dixon taking the final spot inside the top three within a tenth of the Brazilian.
– Fourth was even closer, with Fermin Aldeguer (Sync SpeedUp) within just 0.007 of Dixon, and small gaps from there on out: Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) in fifth is only half a tenth further back, ahead of Albert Arenas (QJMotor Gresini Moto2™) at a similar deficit and Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team)
– Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had one of his best intermediate class showings so far in P7, ahead of Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) and Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) completing the top ten. Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) was the rider just edged out
– Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) was all the way down in P26, and fellow contender and teammate Ai Ogura in P17 as he returns from injury
– The FIM MotoGP™ Stewards have given a number of riders three-place grid penalties for being slow online in P1: Arenas, Alex Escrig (KLINT Forward Factory Team), Filip Salač (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Dennis Foggia (Italtrans Racing Team)
Alonso edges out Rueda as Moto3™ returns to MotorLand
David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) took control on Day 1 in Aragon, with the #80 entering the low 1:57 bracket and finishing 0.210s ahead of his rivals – breaking the lap record in the process. However, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was charging hard behind, having a strong day and setting almost 15 laps across during Practice 1. The #99 was ahead of David Almansa (Kopron Rivacold Snipers Team), who had an equally impressive afternoon, rounding out the top three spots and finishing as the top Honda.
– Dutchman Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) finished Friday in P4 but at a deficit of nearly eight tenths
– from fourth to P10, it’s split by hundredths, with Austria podium finisher David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) heading Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI), rookie Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing), Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) and Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse)
– Austria podium finisher Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) will be one of the first looking to move forward on Saturday, ending Practice 1 in P14
