‘Top Gun’ Edges Bagnaia with Blistering Lap; Yamaha and Aprilia Shine in Q2 Chase
Friday at the Brembo Grand Prix of Italy delivered exactly what Mugello promises every year—thrills, unpredictability, and pure speed. With the sun beaming down on Tuscany, Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) stole the show late in the afternoon’s Practice session, clocking a stunning 1:44.634 lap to top the timesheets and steal Ducati’s thunder on their home soil.
Viñales’ late flyer edged out Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) by 0.110s, a strong message from the KTM rider who has steadily built momentum in recent rounds. Rounding out the top three was none other than Marc Marquez, Bagnaia’s Ducati teammate and the current championship leader, who ensured both red bikes were still firmly in the mix heading into Saturday.
Early Action: Acosta Impresses, Quartararo Bounces Back from Scare
The session began with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) setting the early pace, but the focus quickly shifted to Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who suffered a frightening high-speed crash at Turn 4 with 48 minutes to go. The Frenchman dislocated his left shoulder in the fall but, remarkably, was back on his bike and setting competitive times before long—an incredible display of grit and determination.
Elsewhere, Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha) had a moment of his own, going down at the final corner. Fortunately, he escaped injury and continued to push inside the top ten as time ticked away.
Final 20 Minutes: The Gloves Come Off
As the clock entered its final phase, the mood in the paddock changed—soft Michelin rears were bolted on and it was officially time attack mode.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) were among the first to leap up the order, jumping into provisional Q2 spots. At this point, just half a second separated Acosta in P1 from Morbidelli down in P14—underscoring how fiercely competitive the field was.
Then, things got wild. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP) briefly topped the charts, only to be leapfrogged by Franco Morbidelli, then Bagnaia, who posted a 1:45.324—putting the three-time Mugello winner in provisional P1. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) quickly slotted into P2, while Acosta hovered less than a tenth back in third.
Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), following closely behind Bagnaia on track, briefly went quickest with a lap just 0.064s faster. But the spotlight then shifted to Marc Marquez, who delivered a stunning 1:45.044—vaulting him to the top by a tenth over Bezzecchi. Viñales also crept into P3 with a quiet but threatening lap of his own.
And there were still eight minutes to go.
Viñales Delivers a Knockout Lap
With four minutes remaining, Alex Marquez threw down a marker with a 1:44.787, but Bagnaia was quick to respond—bettering his rival’s time by just 0.043s. The crowd roared as home hero Bagnaia retook P1.
But it wasn’t over.
Viñales, calmly building up to a peak effort, was two tenths under Bagnaia’s benchmark through Sector 3 on his final lap. Crossing the line with just seconds to spare, the KTM rider posted a searing 1:44.634—a lap that would stand until the end. “Top Gun” was indeed the fastest man in Tuscany on Friday.
Marc Marquez gave it one last push, but could only secure P3—solid, but not enough to reclaim the top spot.
Friday’s Top 10: All Eyes on Saturday
The final standings saw Alex Marquez settle into P4, just behind the leading trio. Quartararo’s courageous comeback earned him P5, rounding off a wild day for the Frenchman. Bezzecchi finished sixth to lead Aprilia’s charge, while Alex Rins placed seventh, giving factory Yamaha both bikes in the automatic Q2 group.
Acosta, Morbidelli, and Di Giannantonio completed the top ten, setting up a fiercely contested qualifying battle on Saturday.
Looking Ahead: Sprint Saturday at Mugello
Saturday promises even more drama with qualifying set for 10:50 and the Tissot Sprint scheduled for 15:00 local time. With Ducati looking to reclaim dominance, KTM threatening to upset the order, and both Yamaha and Aprilia in the mix, Round 9 at Mugello is shaping up to be a classic.
Salač Shines at Mugello as Moto2 Friday Ends with a Late Squeeze on Top Times
Vietti and Gonzalez Follow Close Behind as Canet Struggles in Tense Practice Session
Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) stamped his authority on Friday’s Moto2 action at Mugello, setting the pace for most of the session and ultimately holding firm at the top as the clock ran out. The Czech rider delivered a superb 1:50.208 lap to end the day fastest, edging out home favorite Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedUp Racing) by a slender 0.080s.
Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), who has been in fine form all season, slotted into third. The Spaniard was just under a tenth behind Salač, ensuring the top three were separated by a hair’s breadth as we head into a pivotal Saturday.
Baltus Breaks Through, Canet’s Friday Goes Flat
Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) was another standout performer, locking down fourth place and securing direct passage to Q2. His teammate, however, had a rougher ride. Aron Canet, tied with Gonzalez at the top of the standings coming into Mugello, ended the day in a disappointing 14th position after suffering a mechanical issue during his in-lap. It capped off a frustrating afternoon for the #44, who now faces the added pressure of navigating Q1 on Saturday.
Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) did his best to salvage the session for his squad, finishing ninth overall thanks in part to a helpful tow from teammate Salač during the time-attack phase.
Arbolino Anchors the Top Five on Home Turf
Italian fans had something to cheer for with Tony Arbolino (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) producing a solid effort to place fifth. Although not quite fighting at the very front, the local favorite showed encouraging pace ahead of Saturday’s qualifying shootout.
Behind him, Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) turned in a tidy performance to claim sixth, continuing a steady upward trend in recent rounds. Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO European Privilege Aspar) followed closely in seventh, while a late push from Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team) bumped him up into eighth and ensured a safe Q2 spot.
Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) rounded out the top ten—an important result as the margins continue to tighten in the midfield.
Final Q2 Slots Decided; Big Names Left Wanting
Completing the list of riders who secured automatic Q2 entries were Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team), Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), and Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team), all of whom held on during a furious final push for top-14 status.
That left several high-profile names on the outside looking in. Among them: Aragon GP winner Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo), last year’s Mugello victor Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team), and reigning Moto3™ World Champion David Alonso (CFMOTO European Privilege Aspar). All three will now have to fight their way through Q1 if they want a shot at pole—and given the fierce pace at the top, nothing is guaranteed.
What’s Next: Moto2 Qualifying at 13:45 Local Time
Moto2 qualifying gets underway at 13:45 on Saturday, and with so many big names forced into Q1, expect fireworks right from the first green light. The stage is set for a thrilling battle at one of the most iconic tracks on the calendar.
Almansa Sets the Pace in Mugello as Top Names Miss Out on Q2
David Almansa (Leopard Racing) stamped his authority on the opening day of Moto3™ action at the Brembo Grand Prix of Italy, clocking a blistering 1:55.535 to top the timesheets on Friday. The Spaniard’s effort came during a tightly contested session that saw two rising stars from Japan complete the top three—Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) in second, followed closely by Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI).
While Almansa and company found speed around the sweeping Mugello layout, a pair of high-profile names weren’t so lucky. Aragon’s front-runners—David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team), who took P1 and P2 respectively just one round ago—now find themselves facing the gauntlet of Q1. Both riders made costly errors in the final minutes of the session, eliminating any shot at breaking into the all-important top 14.
Tough Luck for Pini in Front of the Home Crowd
Things went from bad to worse for the Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP team when local favorite Guido Pini hit the ground early in the session. A subsequent technical issue meant he could only manage four laps in total, denying the young Italian a chance to impress in front of his home fans.
Kelso and Lunetta Impress; Ogden Solid in Sixth
Further up the order, Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) turned heads with a strong P4 finish, showcasing consistency and speed. Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) gave the home crowd something to cheer for by nailing down fifth, while Britain’s Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) looked sharp and steady in sixth place.
Rookies Rising: Carpe, Perrone Crack the Top 10
The session also highlighted a promising trend—rookies continuing to make waves. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Alvaro Carpe and Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Valentin Perrone showed maturity beyond their years to secure seventh and eighth, beating out more seasoned names like Ángel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and the current World Championship leader, José Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who closed out the top ten.
Final Four Secure Q2 Spots as Notables Drop Out
Rivacold Snipers Team’s pairing of Nicola Carraro and Riccardo Rossi also made the cut, both riders showing good form to lock in Q2 positions. Rounding out the top 14 and joining the Q2 showdown on Saturday are Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), both of whom delivered when it mattered most.
With big names like Muñoz and Quiles now forced to scrap their way out of Q1, and rookies continuing to upset the order, qualifying at Mugello promises to be nothing short of dramatic.
Official MotoGP Press Release
