VR46 Ducati rider Marco Bezzecchi set a new Misano MotoGP lap record in practice on Friday afternoon, with Catalan Grand Prix winner Aleix Espargaro among those missing out on an automatic Q2 spot.
Key moments:
> Ducati-Aprilia-KTM top three
> Pedrosa continues to impress on KTM’s carbon chassis
> Marquez sole Honda in top 10
> Bagnaia makes Q1 at last moment
> Costly crashes for Espargaro brothers
Bezzecchi – who is nursing pain in his left hand after an opening-lap pile-up at Barcelona – jumped ahead of Maverick Vinales, who had initially beaten the lap record with an effort that had taken him four tenths clear, with a final improvement at the chequered flag.
“It’s amazing, he’s not 100%, it’s incredible that he did his lap,” VR46 manager Pablo Nieto told MotoGP.com of Bezzecchi’s 1m30.846s lap.
Behind Bezzecchi and Vinales, KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa, debuting the new RC16 carbon chassis, was an eye-catching third, followed by Bezzecchi’s fellow Ducati satellite riders Jorge Martin and Luca Marini.
Honda rider Marc Marquez, currently in the middle of being linked to a potential switch to Gresini Ducati in 2024, managed to bag an unlikely-looking Q2 spot in sixth.
Marquez had latched onto the tail unit of his former Honda team-mate Pedrosa’s KTM, and was seen commending Pedrosa after the chequered flag as they pulled over for practice starts.
Headlines aplenty! 👀@marcmarquez93 @26_DaniPedrosa are straight off to Q2! 🤝#SanMarinoGP 🇸🇲 pic.twitter.com/Vr7zoN1B3B
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 8, 2023
A succession of late-session crashes – a small fall for RNF Aprilia’s Raul Fernandez, a Turn 15 tip-off for Pol Espargaro (Tech3 Gas Gas) and a much faster Turn 15 tip-off a lap or so later for brother Aleix (Aprilia) – meant yellow flags chalked off a number of laps, including one that would’ve secured Q2 for Pecco Bagnaia.
But Bagnaia, still far from fully fit after highsiding and being hit in the legs by a KTM in Barcelona, regrouped after having that lap deleted to force his way back into the top 10 at the chequered flag.
Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez and KTM’s Brad Binder were eighth and ninth, with the final Q2 ticket going to none other than Fernandez, who managed to go 10th quickest after his crash, picking up the bike and continuing to push.
Yellow flags are out! ⚠️
A heavy crash for @AleixEspargaro at T15! But he's back on his feet 💥#SanMarinoGP 🇸🇲 pic.twitter.com/LTiDvXQmNz
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 8, 2023
In addition to the Espargaros missing out, Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Ducati) both had Q2-worthy laptimes deleted and couldn’t recover.
There was also be a third straight Q1 appearance for KTM’s Jack Miller, who had a fall at Turn 3, and Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco.
The last 10 minutes are approaching! ⏳@jackmilleraus has gone down at T3 💥#SanMarinoGP 🇸🇲 pic.twitter.com/8oEN6KGdar
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 8, 2023
LCR Honda’s Alex Rins stand-in Takumi Takahashi, meanwhile, remains outside of the 105% cutoff required to take part in qualifying and the race, having been 5.040s off the pace in this session, but will get another chance at getting himself in on Saturday morning.
Practice 2 Results
| Pos | Name | Team | Bike | Gap Next | Gap Leader | Best Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marco Bezzecchi | Mooney VR46 Racing Team | Ducati | 1m30.846s | ||
| 2 | Maverick Viñales | Aprilia Racing | Aprilia | +0.126s | +0.126s | 1m30.972s |
| 3 | Dani Pedrosa | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | +0.129s | +0.255s | 1m31.101s |
| 4 | Jorge Martin | Prima Pramac Racing | Ducati | +0.076s | +0.331s | 1m31.177s |
| 5 | Luca Marini | Mooney VR46 Racing Team | Ducati | +0.01s | +0.341s | 1m31.187s |
| 6 | Marc Marquez | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | +0.03s | +0.371s | 1m31.217s |
| 7 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati Lenovo Team | Ducati | +0.003s | +0.374s | 1m31.22s |
| 8 | Alex Marquez | Gresini Racing MotoGP | Ducati | +0.027s | +0.401s | 1m31.247s |
| 9 | Brad Binder | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | +0.009s | +0.41s | 1m31.256s |
| 10 | Raul Fernandez | CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team | Aprilia | +0.28s | +0.69s | 1m31.536s |
| 11 | Pol Espargaró | GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 | KTM | +0.024s | +0.714s | 1m31.56s |
| 12 | Aleix Espargaró | Aprilia Racing | Aprilia | +0.059s | +0.773s | 1m31.619s |
| 13 | Fabio Quartararo | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | +0.025s | +0.798s | 1m31.644s |
| 14 | Franco Morbidelli | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | +0.066s | +0.864s | 1m31.71s |
| 15 | Stefan Bradl | HRC Team | Honda | +0.005s | +0.869s | 1m31.715s |
| 16 | Michele Pirro | Aruba.it Racing | Ducati | +0.028s | +0.897s | 1m31.743s |
| 17 | Jack Miller | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | +0.038s | +0.935s | 1m31.781s |
| 18 | Johann Zarco | Prima Pramac Racing | Ducati | +0.004s | +0.939s | 1m31.785s |
| 19 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | Gresini Racing MotoGP | Ducati | +0.036s | +0.975s | 1m31.821s |
| 20 | Takaaki Nakagami | LCR Honda IDEMITSU | Honda | +0.286s | +1.261s | 1m32.107s |
| 21 | Joan Mir | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | +0.034s | +1.295s | 1m32.141s |
| 22 | Miguel Oliveira | CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team | Aprilia | +0.213s | +1.508s | 1m32.354s |
| 23 | Augusto Fernandez | GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 | KTM | +0.259s | +1.767s | 1m32.613s |
| 24 | Takumi Takahashi | LCR Honda CASTROL | Honda | +3.273s | +5.04s | 1m35.886s |
