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.
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
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