Bagnaia pulls the pin to head Rins, Acosta and Oliveira, with four factories in the top four on Friday
Pecco quickest but penalised, Marc Marquez goes through to Q2, Martin ends Friday in seventh and Quartararo JUST misses the cut as Practice in Mugello delivers plenty to talk about
In the wake of an intense hour of Practice at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, the crucial Q2 positions have been determined, with reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) reclaiming the top spot. Closing Friday’s session with an impressive 1:44.938 lap time, Bagnaia asserted his dominance, pulling a quarter of a second ahead of the competition. However, his triumph was tempered by a three-place grid penalty for the Grand Prix race on Sunday due to an incident involving Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), where Bagnaia was deemed to have impeded Marquez on the racing line. Watch the incident below!
Meanwhile, the pursuit pack is spearheaded by Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ Team) in second place, signaling Yamaha’s determination to push forward this weekend. Despite a crash at Turn 13, rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) showcased remarkable resilience, securing third place. Acosta’s morning spill necessitated a return to the paddock for his spare bike, adding to the session’s drama.
The frantic conclusion of Practice saw Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) briefly leading before being displaced in the final minutes. Bagnaia’s entry into the 1:44 bracket set the tone, with no other rider able to match his pace in the third sector. Rins surged to second place, while Acosta’s recovery to third underscored his resilience.
Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing) surged to fourth place in the session’s closing moments, ensuring representation from four different manufacturers in the top four. Notably, Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) experienced a trouble-free session, securing direct entry to Q2 for the first time since the Spanish GP.
Despite a challenging start, Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) found pace with a new soft rear tyre, clinching sixth place. Bastianini’s performance capped off a positive day for the factory Ducati team, with Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) finishing just behind him.
Despite the earlier incident, Alex Marquez secured his first direct entry to Q2 since the Spanish GP, finishing in eighth place and contributing to Gresini’s successful Friday. Maverick Viñales slipped to ninth, with Aprilia Racing teammate Aleix Espargaro securing the final spot within the crucial top 10 for Saturday’s qualifying session.
Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ Team) narrowly missed out on the top 10, trailing teammate Rins by just 0.019 seconds. The stage is now set for super Saturday, promising more excitement from Mugello!
Schedule for Saturday:
- FP2: 10:10 (UTC +2)
- Q1: 10:50
- Q2: 11:15
- Tissot Sprint: 15:00
Moto 2
Chantra, Roberts, Aldeguer and Lopez covered by less than a tenth
Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) topped the timesheets on Friday at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo with a blistering lap of 1:50.841. However, the competition at the top was fierce, with Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) trailing by a mere 0.011 seconds, closely followed by the MB Conveyors SpeedUp duo of Fermin Aldeguer and Alonso Lopez, both within a tenth of Chantra’s time.
Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) and Roberts engaged in a thrilling battle for the top spot during the initial phase of the session. However, Chantra’s late surge saw him narrowly edging out both competitors. Garcia, meanwhile, slipped down to eighth place by the end of the session, as Aron Canet (Fantic Racing), RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP’s Barry Baltus, and Filip Salac (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) claimed the fifth, sixth, and seventh positions, respectively.
Despite his victory in Barcelona, Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) settled for 12th place, aiming for a stronger performance in the upcoming sessions. Meanwhile, Jake Dixon (CFMoto Inde Aspar Team), who secured a podium finish in the Catalan GP, is eager to climb up from his current 25th position on the grid.
Stay tuned for more action at 9:25 local time (UTC+2) for Practice 2, followed by qualifying at 13:45 local time.
Moto 3
Alonso throws down the gauntlet, Veijer gives chase
David Alonso of CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team continued to set the pace on Friday at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, establishing himself as the benchmark once again. Alonso’s lap was over half a second faster than Collin Veijer of Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP, indicating his dominance on the track. Ryusei Yamanaka of MT Helmets – MSI secured the third quickest time, further solidifying his quietly impressive performance in 2024. Yamanaka was the final competitor within seven tenths of the top, showcasing the tight competition in the field.
As the timesheets tightened up, Jose Antonio Rueda of Red Bull KTM Ajo emerged as the next contender in the chase, with the gaps measured in hundredths and thousandths throughout the rest of the top ten and beyond. Rookie Luca Lunetta of SIC58 Squadra Corse continued to impress, securing the fifth position following his recent strong finish. Ivan Ortola of MT Helmets – MSI narrowly missed out on the top five, settling for sixth place by a mere 0.017 seconds.
Keep an eye on Daniel Holgado of Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 as the lightweight class heads back out for Practice 2. Despite ending P1 in 17th position, Holgado, who is second in the Championship, remains a strong contender. Moto3™ will return to the track in the morning for Practice 2 before qualifying at 12:50 (UTC +2). Check out the full results via the link below and stay tuned for more updates on Saturday!
Official MotoGP Press Release
