Catalunya MotoGP, Barcelona - Friday Practice Results

Friday practice results from the Catalunya MotoGP at Barcelona, round 11 of 20 in the 2023 world championship.
Aleix Espargaro, MotoGP, Catalunya MotoGP, 1 September
Aleix Espargaro, MotoGP, Catalunya MotoGP, 1 September
2023 Catalunya MotoGP, Barcelona - Practice (2) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP23)1'38.686s22/23350k
2Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP23)+0.362s22/24347k
3Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP23)+0.375s22/23348k
4Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP23)+0.571s20/23346k
5Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.660s22/23351k
6Alex MarquezSPAGresini Ducati (GP22)+0.863s27/28346k
7Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+0.864s24/26347k
8Fabio Di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP22)+0.935s16/22343k
9Enea BastianiniITADucati Lenovo (GP23)+0.942s23/24350k
10Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP23)+1.007s24/26345k
11Pol EspargaroSPATech3 GASGAS (RC16)+1.035s20/21351k
12Jack MillerAUSRed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.066s18/23350k
13Raul FernandezSPARNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)+1.071s16/17343k
14Miguel OliveiraPORRNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)+1.093s22/24351k
15Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+1.121s21/24350k
16Augusto FernandezSPATech3 GASGAS (RC16)*+1.205s18/23345k
17Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.420s22/22347k
18Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.469s20/24342k
19Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+1.563s19/23345k
20Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+2.200s16/20342k
21Iker LecuonaSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+2.209s23/23343k
22Joan MirSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+2.327s21/22346k

*Rookie.

Official Barcelona MotoGP records
Best lap: Aleix Espargaro 1m 38.742s (2022)
Fastest race lap: Johann Zarco 1m 39.939s (2021)

Aprilia team-mates Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales repeat their morning practice one-two on Friday afternoon at the 2023 Catalunya MotoGP.

Meanwhile, last year's winner Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) and eight-time world champion Marc Marquez (Honda) were left just 17th and 19th, sending them into Saturday's Qualifying 1 on a day when Japanese machines filled the last six places.

Just as this morning, Aleix Espargaro snatched P1 away from Vinales in the closing stages - this time setting a new all-time lap record in the process.

Ducati's reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia, Pramac Ducati's Johann Zarco, KTM's Brad Binder, Gresini Ducati's Alex Marquez plus Marco Bezzecchi, Fabio di Giannantonio, Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martin completed the top ten with direct Qualifying 2 access.

A long list of riders had a late lap cancelled due to yellow flags after Luca Marini appeared to run out of fuel.

Weather forecasts warn of possible rain storms on Saturday and Sunday.

2023 Catalunya MotoGP, Barcelona - Practice (1) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP23)1'39.809s13/15347k
2Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP23)+0.264s10/19350k
3Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP23)+0.464s17/19347k
4Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.050s16/22351k
5Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP23)+1.091s4/18347k
6Pol EspargaroSPATech3 GASGAS (RC16)+1.108s17/17350k
7Miguel OliveiraPORRNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)+1.135s5/19350k
8Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.195s14/21342k
9Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.202s5/21344k
10Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP23)+1.208s5/19348k
11Jack MillerAUSRed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.335s20/20346k
12Alex MarquezSPAGresini Ducati (GP22)+1.356s6/20346k
13Enea BastianiniITADucati Lenovo (GP23)+1.374s6/17346k
14Augusto FernandezSPATech3 GASGAS (RC16)*+1.409s20/21344k
15Fabio Di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP22)+1.456s12/18344k
16Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+1.495s4/20348k
17Joan MirSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+1.530s17/19347k
18Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+1.592s5/19348k
19Raul FernandezSPARNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)+1.595s5/15345k
20Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+1.597s5/20340k
21Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+1.639s4/16344k
22Iker LecuonaSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+2.116s6/21339k

*Rookie.

Official Barcelona MotoGP records
Best lap: Aleix Espargaro 1m 38.742s (2022)
Fastest race lap: Johann Zarco 1m 39.939s (2021)

Aleix Espargaro leads an Aprilia one-two during opening practice for the 2023 Catalunya MotoGP at Barcelona.

Jorge Martin was caught on camera dragging his shoulder at 59 degrees over the Turn 5 kerbs before claiming third place for Pramac Ducati, with Brad Binder fourth for KTM and reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia in fifth for Ducati Lenovo.

Pol completed an excellent session for the local Espargaro brothers with sixth place for GASGAS Tech3.

By contrast, another home star, Marc Marquez, fell on entry to Turn 5 in the closing minutes, his 17th accident of the year (despite missing multiple rounds).

The Repsol Honda rider was just 20th at the time and finished the session ahead of only LCR stand-in Iker Lecuona.

Aprilia dominated most of the 45 minutes, Aleix Espargaro - who suffered the nightmare of giving away second in his home race after backing off a lap early last season - initially led factory team-mate Maverick Vinales, before Vinales leapfrogged in front.

But Espargaro fought back in the closing minutes to top FP1 with a time of 1m 39.808s. Miguel Oliveira made it three Aprilias in the top seven, having been as high as fourth for RNF heading into the closing stages.

Fabio Quartararo, race winner for Yamaha last season, had a 'new' exhaust (tried at the Jerez test) on his M1 this morning. The Frenchman was ninth, just behind team-mate Franco Morbidelli.

Newly re-signed VR46 rider Marco Bezzecchi clipped LCR Honda stand-in Lecuona early on but both remained upright, Bezzecchi finishing the session 16th and Lecuona last.

Remote video URL

Ducati’s reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia takes a 62-point title lead over Pramac’s Jorge Martin into this weekend’s Catalunya MotoGP, after completing his third double of the season last time in Austria.

VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi is six points behind Martin with Brad Binder the top KTM in fourth.

LCR Honda’s Alex Rins remains absent due to his Mugello leg injuries and is again replaced by WorldSBK rider Iker Lecuona.

The Misano round takes place next weekend, followed by a post-race Official test then two months of ‘flyaway’ events held outside of Europe.
 

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