MotoGP: Top Gun puts KTM at the summit on Friday as Yamaha and Aprilia also gain automatic Q2 entries.
A quality 1:44.634 lap late into a phenomenal MotoGP Practice session at the Brembo Grand Prix of Italy saw Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) spoil Ducati’s opening day party. Top Gun flew highest to beat Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) by 0.110s on Friday afternoon, as the Italian’s teammate Marc Marquez made sure both factory Ducatis were inside the top three at the end of play.
EARLY DOORS: Acosta leads, Quartararo crashes
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) led the way in the opening stages of Practice as drama unfolded for Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) with 48 minutes left on the clock. The Frenchman suffered a fast crash on the entry to Turn 4 and after partially dislocating his left shoulder, Quartararo was on his feet, back in the box and back out on track setting personal best lap times soon enough.
There was also a crash at the final corner for Jack Miller, the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP star was all OK and occupied P10 with 22 minutes to go. And that is around the time where we began to see some fresh soft rear Michelin tyre rubber slotted in, which usually means one thing on a Friday afternoon – time attacks.
THE FINAL 20 MINS: time attack mode engaged
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) were the first big movers, the Italian and Spaniard went P2 and P6 respectively, as 0.5s split pacesetter Acosta to Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in P14. Small margins at Mugello.
Then things got very busy. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) briefly led the session before Morbidelli and then Bagnaia climbed to the summit. The new time to beat, thanks to the 2022, 2023 and 2024 Italian GP winner, was a 1:45.324. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was a close P2, Acosta was within a tenth in P3, before Bezzecchi – while shadowing a rapid Bagnaia – went P1 by 0.064s.
At this stage, Marc Marquez was P14. But not for long. The Championship leader landed a 1:45.044 to beat Bezzecchi’s time by a tenth, as Viñales slotted into P3 ahead of Bagnaia. This was relentless Practice action at Mugello, and we still had another eight minutes to enjoy.
And with four minutes to go, Alex Marquez set a new benchmark time. A 1:44.787 put the #73 over two tenths clear, before Bagnaia responded to move 0.043s ahead of the pack. Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) had shot into the top five and then teammate Quartararo went P3 – what an effort.
Then, full focus was on Viñales. Through Sector 3, the #12 was two tenths under Bagnaia’s time and across the line, Top Gun was top dog with 30s remaining. Could Marc Marquez have a say? He flirted with the idea, but the #93’s lap was only good enough for P3.
And that was all she wrote. Viñales sits a tenth clear heading into Saturday, with Yamaha and Aprilia also right in the victory and podium hunt as things stand, alongside Ducati.
THE TOP 10: Friday’s fastest runners at Mugello
Alex Marquez was P4 behind the leading trio, with Quartararo’s heroics seeing him end a rollercoaster Friday in P5. Bezzecchi fronts the Aprilia charge in P6, Rins sits P7 to hand factory Yamaha a double Q2 automatic passage, as Acosta, Morbidelli and Di Giannantonio make up the initial 10 riders heading into the pole position scrap.
UP NEXT: Tissot Sprint Saturday
What will Saturday in Tuscany bring? We’ll find out tomorrow as we look ahead to qualifying (10:50) and the Tissot Sprint (15:00).
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