Enea Bastianini fastest as Marc Marquez makes Q2 despite late fall

With track conditions much improved for the second MotoGP practice, lap times were already much faster than the morning after just five minutes as Brad Binder set a low 1m 39s time to lead the way.

Joining Binder in the top three was Marc Marquez, who was fastest in Free Practice 1 aboard his Gresini Ducati.

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Splitting Binder and Marquez was Marco Bezzecchi, who enjoyed a stronger start to the Portuguese round after struggling in Qatar.

With his team-mate on top, Jack Miller’s attempts at matching the South African’s pace ended with a tumble at turn five. 

Using a hard front and medium rear tyre combination, Marquez began showing serious pace on his second stint as he went within half a tenth of Binder’s top time.

Although Marquez failed to take over top spot on his next couple of laps, the race pace being shown by Marquez was the best of any rider on circuit.

With Pedro Acosta also threatening top spot, Marquez finally moved the benchmark time forward as he set a 1:39.110s to go top by nearly a tenth.

As Marquez returned to pit lane, the first 1m 38s lap of the weekend was pumped in by Ducati’s Jorge Martin.

As the time attacks began with just over 20 minutes remaining, Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami was first to significantly improve.

The Honda rider went quickest before Maverick Vinales relegated the Japanese rider down to second spot. 

Next up was Marquez as the Spaniard set an identical lap time to Vinales before finding more time on his second effort.

When action on track ramped up, Enea Bastianini was next to eye up top spot as he set two red sectors to begin his time attack.

Come the end of the lap Bastianini found even more time as he went half a second clear of Marquez’ top time.

Drama then followed for another Ducati rider as Alex Marquez crashed at turn 14, while Aleix Espargaro also suffered a tip-off in sector three.

There was a flurry of fallers late on as Franco Morbidelli went down at turn eight, before Marquez lost control of his machine at turn five.

Luca Marini also went down it what was another miserable day for the Repsol Honda man.