Pecco Bagnaia Sets New Record at MotoGP Practice in Jerez: Recap of Friday Afternoon Session

2024-04-26 16:09:02

MotoGP practice on Friday afternoon in Jerez ended with world champion Pecco Bagnaia setting the fastest time. While the Ducati star set a new record, Marc Márquez was sixth.

After Friday morning The two Márquez brothers set the pace in FP1 in the MotoGP class in Jerez, the question arose whether Alex and Marc could also present themselves in “MotoGP Practice” in the afternoon. With 19 degrees outside and 34 degrees on the tarmac, the conditions for the crucial practice session at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto were perfect.

As a reminder: “MotoGP Pracitice” decides on a MotoGP weekend whether the race goes straight into the decisive qualifying 2 by determining pole position. The top 10 of the 60-minute session qualify outright, a further two places will be contested in Q1 on Saturday lunchtime. The first free practice session on Friday and the second free practice session on Saturday (10:10 CEST) have no impact on the rest of the weekend.

The 25 drivers started the training session promptly at 16:00. KTM rider Brad Binder burned his first mark into the asphalt after a few minutes: 1:36.794 min. FYI: The all-time lap record on the 4,423 km track in Andalusia is 1:36.170 min, which comes from Pecco Bagnaia. (Ducati) from 2022. In FP1, Alex Márquez came surprisingly close to this time with 1:36.630 min.

Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati) recorded his first fall in this practice session. The Italian crashed at Turn 1 after seven minutes, Aprilia rider Raul Fernandez also went down shortly after. The young Spaniard from the Trackhouse team lost control of the RS-GP in the last corner. But it wasn’t enough, as just one minute later American GP winner Maverick Viñales crashed on the exit of Turn 1. All three drivers remained uninjured.

After 20 minutes, Binder was in the lead ahead of world championship leader Jorge Martin (Ducati), KTM brand-mate Pedro Acosta and Marc Márquez on his Ducati Desmosedici GP23. At this point, Alex Márquez was fifth, Pramac rider Franco Morbidelli (Ducati) was sixth. Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia), Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati), Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio and the previously fallen Maverick Viñales completed the top 10 – WIldcard rider Stefan Bradl took 22nd (+1.802 seconds).

Welcome to the race weekend in Jerez

Maverick Vinales

Francesco Bagnaia

Brad Binder

Marc Marquez

Pedro Acosta

Miguel Oliveira

Francesco Bagnaia

Johann Zarco

Jack Miller

Miguel Oliveira

Johann Zarco

Aleix Espargaro

The days of Pedrosa

Stefan Bradl

Fabio Quartararo

Maverick Vinales

Enea Bastianini

Fabio di Giannantonio

Alex Marquez

Jorge Martin

The days of Pedrosa

Jorge Martin

Marco Bezzecchi

Shortly before halfway through the session, Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo crashed at Turn 7. The Frenchman remained uninjured. KTM noble tester Dani Pedrosa also crashed. The Spaniard lost control of the front wheel in turn 2 and slid into the airbags at the side of the track, he was also OK. With 25 minutes still on the clock, Miguel Oliveira was also caught in the last corner of the track in Jerez, like teammate Raul Fernandez before him.

In addition to Bradl and Pedrosa, Aprilia is also present in Jerez with a test rider, as there will also be a test day at the round in the south of Spain on Monday. On Friday, Savadori tested, among other things, a new “Ride Height Device” on the RS-GP.

Maverick Viñales set the best time with 20 minutes remaining with 1:36.482 minutes. Binder, Di Giannantonio, Martin and Pedro Acosta meanwhile completed the top five. Then Jack Miller also crashed his RC16, his eighth crash in this practice. After 50 minutes the top 5 were: Maverick Vinales with 1:36.125 min (new record) ahead of Jorge Martin, Enea Bastianini, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Brad Binder. Stefan Bradl was in 23rd place. Then Pecco Bagnaia and Marco Bezzecchi moved up to 2nd and 3rd, 14 riders were within a second of the lead.

In the final, Brad Binder also crashed in turn 7, causing yellow flags three minutes before the end. In the end, world champion Bagnaia set a best time of 1:36.025 minutes and thus set a new all-time lap record at the Circuito de Jerez. Behind the Italian, Maverick Viñales, Marc Márquez, Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin finished in the top five.

Pedro Acosta was the only Pierer Group pilot to enter the top 10 in sixth place. Aleix Espargaró, Enea Bastianini, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Alex Márquez also secured direct entry into Q2. Stefan Bradl drove 1.684 seconds slower than Bagnaia and eventually finished 23rd.

Results MotoGP Jerez, qualifying (April 26): Live in qualifying 2:

1. Francesco Bagnaia (I), Ducati, 1:36.025 min
2. Maverick Viñales (E), Aprilia, +0.100 sec
3. Marc Marquez (L), Ducati, +0.143
4. Marco Bezzecchi (I), Ducati, +0.339
5. Jorge Martín (E), Ducati, +0.410
6. Pedro Acosta (E), KTM, +0.414
7. Aleix Espargaró (E), Aprilia, +0.421
8. Enea Bastianini (I), Ducati, +0.455
9. Fabio Di Giannantonio (I), Ducati, +0.511
10. Alex Marquez (L), Ducati, +0.514

I am eligible 1:

11. Brad Binder (ZA), KTM, +0.619
12. Franco Morbidelli (I), Ducati, +0.686
13. Jack Miller (AUS), KTM, +0.875
14. Dani Pedrosa (E), KTM, +0.919
15. Alex Rins (E), Yamaha, +0.934
16. Takaaki Nakagami (J), Honda, +0.944
17. Raúl Fernández (L), Aprilia, +1,086
18. Johann Zarco (F), Honda, +1,252
19. Miguel Oliveira (P), Aprilia, +1,317
20. Fabio Quartararo (F), Yamaha, +1,357
21. Joan Mir (E), Honda, +1,451
22. Augusto Fernández (E), KTM, +1,586
23. Stefan Bradl (D), Honda, +1,684
24. Luca Marini (I), Honda, +1,813
25. Lorenzo Savadori (I), Aprillia, +1,877

Results MotoGP Jerez, FP1 (April 26):

1. Alex Márquez (V), Ducati, 1:36.630 min
2. Marc Márquez (E), Ducati, +0.507 sec
3. Maverick Viñales (L), Aprilia, +0.591
4. Aleix Espargaró (E), Aprilia, +0.673
5. Franco Morbidelli (I), Ducati, +0.917
6. Marco Bezzecchi (I), Ducati, +0.955
7. Dani Pedrosa (E), KTM, +0.983
8. Brad Binder (ZA), KTM, +0.988
9. Jorge Martín (E), Ducati, +1,005
10. Pedro Acosta (E), KTM, +1,012
11. Fabio Di Giannantonio (I), Ducati, +1,094
12. Francesco Bagnaia (I), Ducati, +1,162
13. Enea Bastianini (I), Ducati, +1,256
14. Fabio Quartararo (F), Yamaha, +1,382
15. Miguel Oliveira (P), Aprilia, +1,419
16. Jack Miller (AUS), KTM, +1,448
17. Alex Rins (E), Yamaha, +1,573
18. Raúl Fernández (L), Aprilia, +1,617
19. Johann Zarco (F), Honda, +1,730
20. Augusto Fernández (E), KTM, +1,740
21. Takaaki Nakagami (J), Honda, +1,909
22. Joan Mir (E), Honda, +1,944
23. Lorenzo Savadori (I), Aprillia, +2,098
24. Stefan Bradl (D), Honda, +2.104
25. Luca Marini (I), Honda, +2.145