MotoGP: The World Championship leader soars to top spot honours on the opening day of action in Sepang as his chief title rival rests up for a bumper Saturday
An early crash couldn’t throw Championship leader Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) off course as the #93 made up for his final-corner practice error to lead the MotoGP charge on Friday afternoon. He was able to pip brother Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) by 0.109s with a stellar 1:57.000 time attack lap, whilst a late lap from Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP) put the Dutch GP winner in third. Completing just three laps, injured Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) ended Practice early in order to save energy for Saturday’s bumper schedule.
FIRST ENCOUNTERS: Martin pulls in, Marc Marquez crashes
Before the session had even reached a third of the way to being done, the top two in the Championship were making headlines. Martin’s day was done after three laps and the decision was taken that the #89 will sit out the remainder of Practice, although he’ll hit the track tomorrow morning for FP2 to see how he is on Sprint Saturday. Should he take part for the rest of the weekend, then the 2024 World Champion will find himself in Q1. Then, at Turn 15, Marc Marquez crashed, tucking the front and sliding through the gravel, although he was soon back on his feet.
BOUNCING BACK: the #93 asserts authority
Into the second half of the session and it was Di Giannantonio leading the way ahead of Alex Marquez and Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR). All of the fastest lap times were being set early on with riders opting for long runs in the first 40 minutes or so. After his fall, Marc Marquez was back out on track and provisionally P8 with just over a quarter of an hour remaining. However, not for long, as the Championship leader blasted in a 1’57.000 to go top of the timesheets by nearly four tenths of a second.
CHANGES APLENTY: Ogura into the top 3, Zarco
CHANGES APLENTY: Ogura into the top 3, Zarco and Bagnaia fall
There were a whole load of changes in the top ten with just over ten minutes remaining, with Acosta, Bezzecchi and Bastianini all moving into the top five whilst Ogura, Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) also found improvements. Three minutes on the clock and Ogura continued to improve with a move up to P3 whilst the yellow flags were out at Turns 7 and 8 for a late fall for Zarco. Then, Turn 1 caught out double World Champion Bagnaia, who tucked the front; the crashes confirmed both riders’ presence in Q1 tomorrow.
FRIDAY’S TOP 10: Q2 spots bagged
Nobody could get on terms with Marc Marquez though as the reigning World Champion led a Marquez 1-2 ahead of Alex in second and looked good not only on one lap but with race pace too. Ogura’s late improvement brought the Japanese to third by the end of play, ahead of Acosta and Di Giannantonio. Bezzecchi had a steady start to bag a Q2 spot in sixth ahead of a strong showing from Red Bull KTM Tech3 duo Enea Bastianini and Maverick Viñales, with three KTMs going directly into Q2 for the first time since Hungary last year. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and a returning Mir who was welcomed back with P10.
MISSING THE CUT: Bagnaia headlines, Martin back on track in FP2
Zarco’s crash late on cost him as he missed out by 0.187s, just 0.002s ahead of Pecco in 12th. Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) had a big front-end save at Turn 15, which cost him any improvement and thus finds himself in Q1, whilst the best Yamaha was Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) just behind him in P14. Martin sitting out the rest of the session after three laps leaves him in Q1 and he hopes that he can be competitive on Saturday.
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