MotoGP: The VR46 Racing Team rider steals the show to front the first Italian 1-2-3-4 in a Practice session, Marc Marquez returns to clinch a Q2 spot, while the #37 endures a tricky day
A double serving of Italian-flavoured P1 was on the menu for Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team’s Fabio Di Giannantonio, as the Catalan GP winner served up a Friday treat to head into the weekend’s action at Mugello as the rider to beat. The Italian’s 1:44.808 was 0.091s faster than second place Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), who in turn was 0.012s clear of third place Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3). It was an Italian 1-2-3-4 for the first time in a Practice session, aprt on home turf, with Franco Morbidelli making it both Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing machines in the top four.
Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) returned to action with a very solid P6, while Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) missed the Q2 cut after a disappointing day at the office.
THE EARLY EXCHANGES FT A PAIR OF RED FLAGS
Following a spell of wet weather in the morning, Friday afternoon Practice at Mugello got underway in dry conditions and fronting the timesheets in the early stages was three-time Italian GP winner Bagnaia, with Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) inside the top two early doors.
Having come through FP1 unscathed, Marc Marquez was declared fit to participate in the rest of the weekend, and halfway through the session, the reigning World Champion was 11th fastest, 0.566s away from his teammate’s time, before some quicker laps began to fly in.
The first was for Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team); the second was for title race leader Bezzecchi. A 1:45.024 was Bez’s table-topper with just over 30 minutes to go, on fresh soft Michelin rubber, before the red flags came out after Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) crashed coming out of Turn 4. The Frenchman and his Yamaha slid down the road into Turn 5, kicking plenty of stones into the circuit, and with the stricken YZR-M1 parked in the middle of the apex, the short stoppage to the session was called. More importantly, Quartararo was up on his feet and swiftly made his way back to the box.
Once Practice resumed, it wasn’t long before another Yamaha star was on the deck. This time it was Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) crashing at Turn 1, with the Australian – who was P19 at the time – all OK too.
Coming into the final 12 minutes, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) encountered tech problems when coming out of the pit lane, and due to where the RC16 was ditched by the South African, leaning against the wall towards the end of the 1.1km long straight, the red flags were waved again to allow the marshals to recover the KTM.
TIME ATTACK MODE: ENGAGED
Then, we strapped in for 11 minutes and 45 seconds of time attack action on Friday. Marc Marquez and Acosta were lingering outside the top 10, as were the likes of World Champions Quartararo and Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol), as Miller rose to P3 with just under eight minutes remaining to shove Bastianini out of the top 10.
With just over five minutes left, a familiar name rose to P1. A certain #93. Marc Marquez’s 1:45.010 saw the current champ jump from P16 to the summit, but a flurry of fast laps landed to quickly shuffle the Spaniard down to P5. Di Giannantonio, Bagnaia, Morbidelli and Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) clocked faster times than the returning Marquez, as we then saw Martin lose a top 10 place with two minutes to go.
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At the same time, Bezzecchi and Bastianini promoted themselves into the top five, as we locked eyes on Martin. P13, the title hunter was chasing a time. And he managed one, just, to go P8 at the chequered flag – but that’s all he needed. Fellow Aprilia rider Ogura was the one to lose out after Martin’s lung-busting late charge, the Japanese rider fell to P11, and another rider unable to get a Friday top 10 was Acosta. A mistake on his final lap meant the #37 finished P13 on Day 1, with Q1 awaiting the rider P4 in the World Championship.
YOUR Q2 QUALIFIERS
No such worries for Di Giannantonio though. A double Friday P1 on home turf? Just what the doctor ordered. Literally. Bagnaia, Bastianini, and Morbidelli made it an Italian 1-2-3-4 at Mugello; the home faithful will be pleased with that, as Aldeguer closed out the top five.
Marc Marquez’s return was impressive; the champion sails into Q2 in P6, with Bezzecchi acting as the lead Aprilia in P7. Martin was P8, 0.3s off Diggia, as Rins held onto a top 10 in P9 to signal a job well done for the Yamaha rider on Friday. And speaking of top jobs, congratulations to rookie Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR), as the Brazilian earns his first automatic Q2 entry in P10.
COMING UP: TISSOT SPRINT SATURDAY
That wasn’t a bad opening day of action at Mugello, was it? Some shocks, some standouts, some very close times. See you tomorrow for Tissot Sprint Saturday.
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