FP1 sees the KTM rider take to the top before tougher conditions in the afternoon – leaving Pecco outside the provisional Q2 places on Friday.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder takes Friday honours at the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia, fastest in FP1 by less than a tenth ahead of Australian GP winner Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) completes the top three, with some riders not putting in a time attack in the morning… and the weather closing in in the afternoon.
That leaves Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) in P11 overall, as he was in FP1, and by just 0.003. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) is seventh, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) down in a difficult P20. Neither Quartararo nor Bagnaia fitted new Michelin tyres for their final runs, and Aleix Espargaro suffered a crash on one bike and a technical problem on the other.
On a day of mixed weather, FP2 belonged to Cal Crutchlow (WithU Yamaha RND MotoGP™ Team), who set the quickest lap in a damp afternoon session at Sepang after a late change to slick Michelin tyres. However, his afternoon benchmark of 2:05.710 was several seconds away from the 1:59.576 which Binder achieved earlier in the day when the circuit was completely dry.
A huge downpour had caused a lengthy red flag period in the preceding session, Moto2™ FP2, but the sun was shining by the time the premier class rolled out for their second session of the day. All 24 riders started on wet Michelin tyres but there was precious little spray being kicked up by then. The session ended on slicks and with Crutchlow top as Bagnaia took second. Quartararo was fifth on wets.
The combined timesheets
It’s all from FP1, with Brad Binder heading Rins’ late charge and Marc Marquez third. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who’s facing his last stand in the title fight, was fourth, ahead of 2020 World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar).
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) slots into sixth ahead of Quartararo, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) in P8. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and teammate and Rookie of the Year Marco Bezzecchi complete the top ten and are therefore provisionally into Q2 ahead of Bagnaia… but what will FP3 bring?
Bagnaia, and teammate Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), will most definitely be hoping for dry skies. Can they move into the top ten? And if they don’t, will both head out to fight for only two sports in Q2 or will the Australian sit on the bench? It could be a big morning in FP3 from 10:50 (GMT +8) before qualifying from 15:05.
FRIDAY: TOP 3
1 Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – KTM – 1’59.479
2 Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – Suzuki – +0.097
3 Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) – Honda – +0.144
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