Aleix, Viñales… PEDROSA! It’s all change in Jerez with Aprilia & KTM top as Bezzecchi, Bagnaia AND Quartararo head for Q1.

A late Aprilia attack sees the Noale factory take a 1-2 on Friday, but it’s a familiar number 26 in third ahead of Martin and Miller as key names fail to make the cut

Aprilia Racing made it a Friday to remember at the Gran Premio MotoGP™ Guru by Gryfyn de España, with Aleix Espargaro heading teammate Maverick Viñales on the combined timesheets by just 0.002. Stealing some serious headline space, however, is the rider in third: wildcard and MotoGP™ Legend Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). It was a stunning return to action for the number 26 as he topped P1 and remained the third quickest overall by the close of play.

The morning saw Pedrosa quickest in the final few minutes before other fast laps started to fly in, but the Little Samurai struck back with a 1:36.770. Only two faster laps would come in by the end play, and from only one machine: the Aprilia. Somewhat dampening the fairy-tale for Pedrosa, Aleix Espargaro and Viñales instead add another chapter to that of Aprilia after a tougher run of late despite some seriously threatening speed from one of the big story-makers of the last couple of seasons.

LAST DASH FOR Q2
With track temperatures soaring in the afternoon, the track became much slicker than the morning and the pressure was on for the fastest motorcycle racers in the world to book their place in Qualifying 2. As ever, the opening stages of P2 were used for fine-tuning race pace, and it wasn’t until the end of the session that we saw the soft rubber go in for the riders to put the hammer down for their final time attacks.

One bit of drama saw Iker Lecuona (Repsol Honda Team) crash out with 36 minutes remaining, seeing the red flags come out as the air fence needed repairing – rider ok. As the green flag dropped though, it was crunch time to secure an automatic place in Q2.

Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) was the first to improve in the latter stages with a minute and a half remaining, as the Portuguese rider slotted himself into P4, with Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) following closely and putting himself into P5.

A flying lap from Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) came in just after, putting the Aussie into P3 and bumping Oliveria and Marquez back down the order. But then, the two factory Aprilias were locked together and came flying over the line to reshuffle the order once again, taking over on top in the session and overall on Friday.

Still, Pedrosa’s P1 best and Jorge Martin’s (Prima Pramac Racing) morning effort see them slot into third and fourth, just ahead of Miller. Next up it’s Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) ahead of Oliveira and Alex Marquez, with a really good day at the office for Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) seeing the Japanese rider take ninth. First time podium finisher last time out, Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), completes the top ten and automatic entrants to Q2… leaving some huge names looking for a way through Q1!

ALL EYES ON Q1
With only two Q2 spots up for grabs, a bunch of big hitters in Q1 sets the stage perfectly for a dramatic morning on Saturday.

Reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) crossed the line with just over a minute left of P2, but despite setting a personal best the Ducati top dog didn’t have enough in the tank for Qualifying 2, and finished the day in 13th place. The Italian did get one more bite at the cherry but a yellow flag in sector 2 halted the progress for the number 1.

Marco Bezzecchi suffered different drama as his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati went up in smoke with 25 minutes to go, forcing the Championship leader pull to the side of Dani Pedrosa corner and make his way back to the pitlane. Having jumped onto his 2nd bike, the Italian pushed on but it wasn’t enough and he only managed 12th.

Americas GP victor Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) also suffered misfortune at Pedrosa corner, as the Spaniard went down and out of the session with 4 minutes to go. Placed down in 15th, the Honda rider will have to fight Bagnaia and Bezzecchi in Q1, as well as 2021 Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) after a tough day at the office for the Frenchman.

Another slightly awkward Q1 appearance from a multiple Grand Prix winner is that of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as the South African ended the Day in P11… and Pedrosa stole some of the thunder. Having won the Tissot Sprint in Argentina from P15 on the grid, however, and taken his first ever Grand Prix in Moto3™ at this very track… and from the very back, the number 33 will likely have plenty in the locker once the lights go out regardless.

SHOWTIME
Friday’s action served as the perfect appetiser to competitive action in Jerez. The stage is set for Qualifying and the Tissot Sprint, and here’s when it all gets underway in GMT+2:

MotoGP™ FP: 10:10
MotoGP™ Q1: 10:40
MotoGP™ Q2: 11:15
Tissot Sprint: 15:00

See you there!

MotoGP Top 4 – Combined Practice – Spanish GP
1. Aleix ESPARGARO – SPA – Aprilia Racing – 1’36.708
2. Maverick VIÑALES – SPA – Aprilia Racing – +0.002
3. Dani PEDROSA – SPA – Red Bull KTM Factory – +0.062
4. Jorge MARTIN – SPA – Prima Pramac Racing – +0.096

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