Bagnaia lands Misano lap record to lead Martin and Marc Marquez on Day 1
Bagnaia Breaks Misano Lap Record as Title Contenders Lead Friday’s MotoGP™ Action
The Gran Premio Pramac dell’Emilia-Romagna kicked off with damp conditions in the morning, but by the afternoon, the sun was shining, and the top title contenders were quick to seize control. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) set a blistering pace in the second MotoGP™ practice session, breaking the all-time lap record at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli with a 1:30.286 lap time. Bagnaia edged out World Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) by 0.198s.
Martin had been pushing hard throughout the session but couldn’t improve his time after a minor crash at Turn 8 in the closing stages. Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), fresh off a win in the previous round, rounded out the top three, trailing Bagnaia by 0.299s.
Rins Sits Out, Acosta and Marquez Hit Trouble
Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ Team) missed the day’s action due to illness, while Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) both had incidents on track. Acosta tucked the front at Turn 14, while Marquez crashed at Turn 1, disrupting their progress.
Late Session Drama and Yellow Flags
As usual, the action heated up in the final 20 minutes of the session. Martin was setting fast laps on a soft Michelin rear tire, but his best time was wiped out due to yellow flags after Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) crashed – fortunately, without injury. Bagnaia capitalized on this and steadily built his momentum to take P1.
Martin’s day ended early after he crashed while following teammate Franco Morbidelli. Meanwhile, Marc Marquez and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) both ended the session near the top, despite Bastianini suffering a small crash.
Bastianini and Quartararo Impress
Despite his crash, Bastianini finished the day in P4, keeping close tabs on the top three. However, the standout performance of the day came from Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ Team), who secured P5 and earned his first consecutive automatic Q2 appearance this season. Quartararo outpaced Franco Morbidelli (P6) and Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, P7), both of whom also avoided Q1.
Spaniards and Italians Secure Q2 Spots
The pressure is off for Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), as late flying laps secured their spots in Q2. Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta also made the cut for a chance at pole position.
Just missing out on Q2 was Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who finished P11, just 0.050s short. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) had a solid run, ending the day in P12.
Crashes Affect Di Giannantonio and Binder
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) crashed heavily towards the end of the session, halting his push for a top-10 finish. The Italian will be sore but ready for Saturday’s action. Similarly, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed at Turn 5, dashing his hopes for a Q2 spot.
All Eyes on Saturday’s Pole Battle
With the title race heating up, expect fireworks during Saturday’s qualifying. The top riders will be gunning for pole position at Misano.
Saturday Schedule (UTC +2):
- FP2: 10:10
- Q1: 10:50
- Q2: 11:15
- Tissot Sprint: 15:00
Stay updated on all the action on our socials throughout the day and a review Saturday Evening
Moto2 Arbolino holds commanding advantage heading into Saturday
Arbolino Dominates Moto2™ Practice at Emilia-Romagna GP
Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) set a commanding pace in Moto2™ Practice 1 at the Emilia-Romagna GP, posting a 1:35.386 lap time to establish a healthy 0.4s lead over his competitors. Arbolino’s performance puts him ahead of Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) in second place and impressive rookie Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team), who finished third.
- Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors SpeedUp) secured fourth place, while title contenders Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) and World Championship leader Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) rounded out the top six. All three riders finished within four-tenths of Arbolino’s blistering pace.
- After a remarkable comeback to P5 from a poor qualifying at the San Marino GP, Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) ended Friday in P10. He was followed by Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in P11. Both riders will be looking to improve on Saturday to secure their spots in Q2.
- Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) claimed P14 with his final flying lap, finishing 0.7s behind Arbolino but just three-tenths off the top five.
What’s Next?
Can anyone close the gap to Arbolino in Practice 2? Tune in at 09:25 before qualifying kicks off at 13:45 on Saturday!
Moto3 Fernandez finds Friday form to end Day 1 fastest
Fernandez Leads Friday Moto3™ Practice at Emilia-Romagna GP
For the second consecutive Friday at Misano, Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) set the pace in Moto3™, clocking a 1:41.071 lap to top the timesheets. Fernandez narrowly edged out Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), who finished just over a tenth behind. Angel Piqueras, winner of the San Marino GP, secured third, giving Leopard Racing two bikes in the top three early on at the Emilia-Romagna GP.
- Collin Veijer and his Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP teammate Tatsuki Suzuki completed the top five as they look ahead to Practice 2 on Saturday morning.
- Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI), who is battling for the championship, claimed P7, just ahead of title leader David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team). Alonso had a quiet Friday but remained in touch with the frontrunners, with only 0.2 seconds separating the top eight riders.
Moto3™ Practice 2 kicks off at 08:40 on Saturday. Tune in to see who secures a direct spot in Q2 at Misano!
Official MotoGP Press Release
