06:01
Bagnaia will need to go through Q1. He's just missed out on the top ten.
Jorge
2023 Australian MotoGP: Friday practice - LIVE UPDATES
Reigning MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia takes an 18-point lead over Jorge Martin into the Australian Grand Prix, after the Pramac Ducati rider’s costly fall from the lead at Mandalika last weekend.
Marco Bezzecchi's Indonesian heroics, a week after breaking his (right) collarbone, means the VR46 rider has closed to 45 points from Martin. Team-mate Luca Marini, who took a debut pole position at Mandalika, also expects the condition of his broken (left) collarbone to be slightly improved.
After backing out of a planned comeback in Indonesia due to pain from his recently fractured ribs, Alex Marquez will try again at Phillip Island - meaning all 22 riders could line up for the Saturday Sprint for the first time since the Portimao season opener.
Nonetheless, last year's Phillip Island winner Alex Rins is still recovering from leg fractures and Enea Bastianini from hand and ankle injuries.
Marc Marquez took his only podium of the season in Australia last year.
While decent weather is forecast for Friday and Saturday, wind gusts reaching as high as 80km/h are currently predicted for Sunday, prompting speculation of possible schedule changes.
20 Oct 2023
07:04
BREAKING NEWS: Australian MotoGP switches to a Saturday race
06:03
Friday practice is finished as Binder reigns supreme
Binder tops Practice 2 ahead of Miller, Vinales, Martin and P. Espargaro.
05:58
Binder goes top with a sub 1m 28s lap. Stunning pace from the KTM man.
05:51
Bagnaia is really struggling. He's gone quicker but is only 14th. Sector two and three is where the Italian is losing huge time to Martin.
05:48
Martin goes top! Stunning lap from the title contender. Bagnaia is currently 19th.
05:47
It's a factory Aprilia 1-2 as Vinales goes quickest for the first time in Practice 2.
05:44
And he does just that. Espargaro has gone top by over four tenths and sets the first sub 1m 29s lap of the weekend.
05:44
Aleix Espargaro is about to destory Zarco's time...
05:39
It's not Joahhn Zarco who has gone quickest for Pramac Ducati.
05:38
Top spot has finally changed hands as Fabio Di Giannantonio has gone quickest by just -0.006s of a second.
05:35
Fabio Quartararo is also showing good speed with the soft rear as he moves up to third spot.
05:25
Vinales has a new soft rear tyre fitted to his factory Aprilia bike.
05:25
Some very fast laps are coming in with just under 40 minutes remaining as Maverick Vinales goes second.
05:21
Marquez is down for the 25th time this season
Crash for Marc Marquez at turn ten. The Honda rider lost the front-end after neary saving it.
05:17
Binder is still fastest after improving his time once again, but it's not Marco Bezzecchi that is second.
05:09
The KTM's are showing very good pace at the start of Practice 2 as Binder leads the way from Pol Espargaro and Jack Miller.
05:00
Good morning and welcome back to Friday practice at the Australian MotoGP. Practice 2 is underway at Phillip Island.
04:22
For those following Moto2 Practice 2, the reason for the red flags is to clear some large geese from the track at Turn 6!
01:31
FP1 ends with Jorge Martin fastest by 0.720s from Augusto Fernandez with Maverick Vinales in third.
01:30
Martin improves again, while Augusto Fernandez impresses again by moving into second but is 0.720s behind the Pramac Ducati.
01:30
(The rest of the field are still on medium rear tyres)
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