2024 Solidarity Barcelona MotoGP: Bagnaia fastest, Martin fifth in second practice
Bagnaia wins first day of 2024 title decider
Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia led a tight second MotoGP practice for the Solidarity Grand Prix as title rival Jorge Martin was fifth.
Bagnaia trails Martin by 24 points ahead of this weekend’s racing and took a crucial first psychological victory over his rival on Friday afternoon at Barcelona.
The reigning double world champion led the way by 0.080s from VR46 Ducati rider Marco Bezzecchi, while a scrappy Martin was only fifth.
The gap between the pair isn’t huge, though, with just 0.296s splitting the pair at the end of Friday’s running.
Martin set the early pace at the start of the hour-long Practice session at 1m40.934s, though it would be Bezzecchi who was the reference rider coming into the final 15 minutes and the all-important time attack phase.
Pramac’s Martin returned to the top of the order with a 1m39.652s on his first soft tyre time attack, which he improved to a 1m39.214s.
LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco then went fastest with a 1m39.197s, before Bezzecchi took over with just under three minutes to go with a 1m38.998s.
Bagnaia, followed by a number of riders, had the final say at the top of the timesheets, though, as he produced a 1m38.918s to get to the chequered flag fastest of all.
Bezzecchi trailed him, while Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro completed the top three as he begins his farewell weekend in MotoGP.
Zarco was a fine fourth at the end of the session, with Martin - who suffered several front end moments through that session - fifth.
Maverick Vinales was sixth on the sister factory Aprilia, with Gresini Ducati duo Alex Marquez and Marc Marquez following him.
Tech3 GASGAS rookie Pedro Acosta was ninth, with Ducati’s Enea Bastianini the last rider to secure a direct Q2 place.
Both factory KTMs, Brad Binder and Jack Miller, missed the cut in 11th and 12th at the chequered flag - though Binder had a lap cancelled and was dropped to 17th. Fabio Quartararo was the leading Yamaha in 14th.
Franco Morbidelli (Pramac) crashed early in the session, as did Tech3’s Augusto Fernandez, while Honda’s Joan Mir suffered a late tip-off.
Miguel Oliveira was 20th and 1.486s off the pace on his racing return with Trackhouse Aprilia, while VR46 stand-in Michele Pirro was 22nd.
