Friday practice results from the Catalunya MotoGP at Barcelona, round 11 of 20 in the 2023 world championship.
TIMES TO FOLLOW
| 2023 Catalunya MotoGP, Barcelona – Free Practice (1) Results | |||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team |
| 1 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Factory (RS-GP23) |
| 2 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Factory (RS-GP23) |
| 3 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) |
| 4 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) |
| 5 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) |
| 6 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) |
| 7 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) |
| 8 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 9 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 10 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) |
| 11 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) |
| 12 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) |
| 13 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) |
| 14 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* |
| 15 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) |
| 16 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) |
| 17 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) |
| 18 | Luca Marini | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) |
| 19 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) |
| 20 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) |
| 21 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) |
| 22 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) |
*Rookie.
Official Barcelona MotoGP recordsBest lap: Aleix Espargaro 1m 38.742s (2022)
Fastest race lap: Johann Zarco 1m 39.939s (2021)
Aleix Espargaro leads an Aprilia one-two during opening practice for the 2023 Catalunya MotoGP at Barcelona.
Jorge Martin was caught on camera dragging his shoulder at 59 degrees over the Turn 5 kerbs before claiming third place for Pramac Ducati, with Brad Binder fourth for KTM and reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia in fifth for Ducati Lenovo.
Pol completed an excellent session for the local Espargaro brothers with sixth for GASGAS Tech3.
By contrast, another home star, Marc Marquez, fell on entry at Turn 5 in the closing minutes, his 17th accident of the year despite missing multiple rounds.
The Repsol Honda rider was only 20th at the time and finished ahead of only LCR stand-in Iker Lecuon when the chequered flag waved.
Aprilia dominated most of the 45 minutes, Aleix Espargaro – who suffered the nightmare of giving away second in his home race after backing off a lap early last season – initially leading factory team-mate Maverick Vinales, before Vinales leapfrogged ahead.
But Espargaro fought back in the closing minutes to top FP1 with a time of 1m 39.808s. Miguel Oliveira made it three Aprilias in the top seven, having been as high as fourth for RNF heading into the closing stages.
Fabio Quartararo, race winner for Yamaha last season, had a new exhaust to try on his M1 this morning. The Frenchman was ninth, just behind team-mate Franco Morbidelli.
Newly re-signed VR46 rider Marco Bezzecchi clipped LCR Honda stand-in Iker Lecuona early in the session, but both remained upright, Bezzecchi finishing the session 16th and Lecuona last.
Ducati’s reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia takes a 62-point title lead over Pramac’s Jorge Martin into this weekend’s Catalunya MotoGP, after completing his third double of the season last time in Austria.VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi is six points behind Martin with Brad Binder the top KTM in fourth.LCR Honda’s Alex Rins remains absent due to his Mugello leg injuries and is again replaced by WorldSBK rider Iker Lecuona.The Misano round takes place next weekend, followed by a post-race Official test then two months of ‘flyaway’ events held outside of Europe.
Keyword: 2023 Catalunya MotoGP, Barcelona - Friday Practice Results