Local hero Aleix Espargaró ended Friday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with the best time of the day, his team-mate Maverick Viñales ensured a double Aprilia lead.
In Montmeló, an air temperature of 28 degrees was measured in the afternoon. At the start of FP2 in the MotoGP class at 2:10 p.m., the asphalt was already 53 degrees hot. That’s why a lot of hard rear tires were used, including Aleix Espargaró, Pecco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini.
It only took three laps, despite the heat, for the first change in the top 10 on the combined timesheets: VR46 rookie Marco Bezzecchi (on Medium-Medium) found seven tenths compared to FP1 to move up to 3rd place . Repsol Honda works driver Pol Espargaró finished fourth. Zarco, Brad Binder, Bagnaia and Quartararo also recorded personal bests in the first ten minutes.
With his 1:40.577 min, “Bez” was still leading the FP2 classification after 20 minutes. For comparison: Suzuki works driver Alex Rins’ best time in the morning was 1:40.101 minutes. Yamaha star Fabio Quartararo has held the all-time lap record since last year in 1:38.853 min.
Stefan Bradl improved to a 1:41.074 and was provisional 16th, but then the Repsol Honda substitute crashed at Turn 5. Marc Marquez, meanwhile, watched from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. «Thank you for all the support messages! The operation went well and I feel better. thanks to dr Joaquín Sánchez Soleto and his team for the great work,” said the six-time MotoGP champion on his social media channels.
Shortly before halftime of the 45-minute session, Aleix Espargaró (on the new medium rear tyre) took command, the Aprilia star also undercut the Rins best time from the cooler FP1 with 1:40.067 min.
The real time hunts were only in the final eight minutes, only the two Tech3 rookies Fernández and Gardner did without a soft rear tire. Maverick Viñales started with the first 1:39 time of the weekend. In his second flying lap he added another 1:39.705 min.
Ducati riders Jorge Martin, Pecco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini bit their teeth at the Aprilia rider’s time. Vice world champion Bagnaia and his VR46 Academy buddy Luca Marini also came dangerously close in turn 5, but both immediately apologized with a hand signal.
At the last minute, Aleix Espargaró replaced his team-mate Viñales at the top – and quite clearly: The World Championship runner-up was three tenths of a second faster. The Ducati trio behind was already about half a second behind. Red Bull KTM factory rider Brad Binder stormed into 6th place at the finish.
Johann Zarco’s personal best time was taken out of the standings because he exceeded the track limits, which is why the Frenchman from the Prima Pramac Racing Team dropped out of the top 10 and dropped down to 17th place. Bradl ended Friday in 23rd place.
MotoGP, Montmeló, combined times after FP2 (June 3):
1. Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, 1: 39,402 min
2. Vinales, Aprilia, +0.303sec
3. Bastianini, Ducati, + 0.488
4. Bagnaia, Ducati, + 0.548
5. Martin, Ducati, + 0.587
6. Brad Binder, KTM, + 0,681
7. Miller, Ducati, + 0,693
8. Rins, Suzuki, + 0,699
9. Quartararo, Yamaha, + 0,721
10. Morbidelli, Yamaha, +0.802
11. Pol Espargaró, Honda, + 0.835
12. Nakagami, Honda, +0.854
13. Di Giannantonio, Ducati, + 0.944
14. Bezzecchi, Ducati, + 1,026
15. Marini, Ducati, + 1,046
16. Mir, Suzuki, + 1.248
17. Zarco, Ducati, + 1,350
18. Alex Marquez, Honda, +1,383
19. Oliveira, KTM, + 1,419
20. Darryn Binder, Yamaha, + 1,469
21. Dovizioso, Yamaha, +1.541
22. Pirro, Ducati, + 1,649
23. Bradl, Honda, +1.672
24. Fernandez, KTM, + 1,681
25. Gardner, KTM, + 1,928
MotoGP result FP2, Montmeló:
1. Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, 1: 39,402 min
2. Vinales, Aprilia, +0.303sec
3. Bastianini, Ducati, + 0.488
4. Bagnaia, Ducati, + 0.548
5. Martin, Ducati, + 0.587
6. Brad Binder, KTM, + 0,681
7. Miller, Ducati, + 0,693
8. Quartararo, Yamaha, + 0,721
9. Rins, Suzuki, + 0,724
10. Morbidelli, Yamaha, +0.802
11. Pol Espargaró, Honda, + 0.835
12. Nakagami, Honda, +0.854
13. Di Giannantonio, Ducati, + 0.944
14. Bezzecchi, Ducati, + 1,026
15. Marini, Ducati, + 1,046
16. Mir, Suzuki, + 1.248
17. Zarco, Ducati, + 1,350
18. Alex Marquez, Honda, +1,383
19. Oliveira, KTM, + 1,419
20. Darryn Binder, Yamaha, + 1,469
21. Dovizioso, Yamaha, +1.541
22. Pirro, Ducati, + 1,649
23. Bradl, Honda, +1.672
24. Fernandez, KTM, + 2,672
25. Gardner, KTM, + 2,884
MotoGP result FP1, Montmeló:
1. Rins, Suzuki, 1:40,101 min
2. Vinales, Aprilia, +0.195sec
3. Morbidelli,Yamaha, +0.594
4. Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, + 0.607
5. Pol Espargaró, Honda, +0,632
6. Nakagami, Honda, +0.767
7. Alex Marquez, Honda, + 0.771
8. Oliveira, KTM, + 0.800
9. Mir, Suzuki, + 0.806
10. Bastianini, Ducati, + 0.930
11. Zarco, Ducati, + 0.948
12. Raul Fernandez, KTM, +0.982
13. Quartararo, Yamaha, + 1,003
14. Bagnaia, Ducati, + 1.004
15. Brad Binder, KTM, + 1,056
16. Bezzecchi, Ducati, + 1,113
17. Marini, Ducati, + 1,142
18. Miller, Ducati, + 1,179
19. Di Giannantonio, Ducati, + 1,212
20. Martin, Ducati, + 1,219
21. Gardner, KTM, + 1,229
22. Dovizioso, Yamaha, +1.357
23. Bradl, Honda, +1,781
24. Darryn Binder, Yamaha, + 1,833
25. Pirro, Ducati, + 1,879
Moto3, Montmeló, combined times after FP2 (June 3):
1. Guevara, GASGAS, 1:48.675 min
2. Slack, KTM, +0.195sec
3. Foggia, Honda, + 0.287
4. Masia, KTM, + 0.303
5. Suzuki, Honda, +0.392
6. Yamanaka, KTM, + 0,484
7. Migno, Honda, + 0.513
8. Toba, KTM, +0655
9. Garcia, GASGAS, +0.687
10. Deniz Öncü, KTM, +0.698
11. Ortolá, KTM, + 0.730
12. Dad, CFMOTO, +0.776
13. Muñoz, KTM, +0,793
14. Riccardo Rossi, Honda, + 0.821
15. Fellon, Honda, + 0,936