Marc Marquez took the first step towards ending a 1000-day MotoGP dry spell by rushing to first place in second practice for the Aragon Grand Prix, shaving over two tenths of a second from the all-time lap record at MotorLand Aragon.
The slick condition of the new asphalt improved for the main practice and in the wake of fresh milestones for both Moto3 and Moto2 in their respective sessions on Friday. The surface was warmer and laden with more Pirelli rubber and the MotoGP field marked the difference compared to tentative times set in the morning.
Gresini rider Marquez led the pack for most of the chrono and set his MotorLand landmark on his 23rd lap of 24. The Catalan has not won a grand prix since Misano in 2021 and will now head directly into Q2 optimistic of his first pole position since the opening fixture of 2023 in Portugal.
Aleix Espargaro took the factory Aprilia from the bottom of the classification in FP1 to second place with an effort only four hundredths from world champion Francesco Bagnaia’s 2022 record. He fronted team-mate Maverick Vinales who was fastest in every single sector apart from the long, looping lefthanded Turn 16, where Marquez had the upper hand on the GP23.
Jorge Martin was the first Ducati GP24 racer in fourth ahead of Alex Marquez who benefited from his brother’s slipstream. Bagnaia improved to sixth, while Ducati team-mate Enea Bastianini had his final flying lap scrubbed due to a crash by KTM’s Jack Miller at Turn 16 which drew out the yellow flags.
Franco Morbidelli secured seventh ahead of a surprising speed by LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco; the Frenchman slotted the maligned HRC motorcycle into eighth for the first direct entry to Saturday’s Q2 for the Japanese firm this year. Trackhouse Aprilia duo Raul Fernandez and Miguel Oliveira filled the other automatic Q2 spots respectively.
Fabio Quartararo crashed into the fast approach to Turn 6 and was mired down in 20th. Augusto Fernandez, close to confirming his role as a Yamaha test rider for 2024, fell on the final corner, Turn 16.
Q1 gets underway at 10.50 local times CET (09.50 GMT) and Q2 at 11.15 CET on Saturday.
