Aleix Espargaró was the fastest on the first day of the Catalunya MotoGP Grand Prix. In the afternoon session, which determines the top ten automatically qualified for the second qualifying round, the rider set a new lap record in Barcelona. Miguel Oliveira was 13th and will have to go through Q1, as well as Marc Márquez who is in this situation for the second round in a row.
After the first flying laps, Red Bull KTM had Jack Miller at the top of the time sheet, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) in second. KTM solidified the position, with Brad Binder taking the lead, with Miller in second… before taking the lead again.
The times continued to improve and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GasGas Tech3/KTM) placed third. At the end of the first ten minutes, Binder had a fall at the exit of the first corner – which had no major physical consequences for the rider. Quartararo also fell shortly after, but in turn five.
Binder returned to the track shortly after… only to fall again at turn two. Change of leader with 18 minutes to go, when Maverick Viñales (Aprilia) was faster than Miller. At the same time, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team/Ducati) reached third, leaving Binder behind.
In the last quarter of an hour, the times dropped again, completely changing the standings. With seven minutes to go, the top three were Jorge Martín (Prima Pramac/Ducati), Acosta and Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac/Ducati), separated by just 0.038s.At three minutes to the end, Espargaró (Aprilia) moved into the lead with a new record lap, followed by Miller. The Australian was overtaken by Binder, Acosta, and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati), finishing fifth. Martín was sixth ahead of Morbidelli, with Enea Bastianini (Ducati) in eighth.
Álex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha) surprised with the ninth fastest time to qualify for the second phase of qualifying. The last one to make it was Viñales in tenth, pushing Álex Márquez (Gresini/Ducati) to 11th by just 0.055s. Marc Márquez (Gresini/Ducati) will also go to Q1, after finishing 12th just ahead of Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing/Aprilia) – who was never able to truly fight for the top ten in the session.
Times:
