Bagnaia hits back in second practice for MotoGP finale

After an unusual post-session crash earlier in the day, Pecco Bagnaia set a statement quickest time in second practice for MotoGP’s Barcelona finale as his title battle with Jorge Martin reaches its climax.

Factory Ducati rider Bagnaia set a 1m38.918s in the final few minutes of Friday afternoon’s session to lead the way into Saturday’s action, and was quicker than second-placed Marco Bezzecchi by 0.08s.

Pramac rider Martin, meanwhile, was fifth with his best lap a 1m39.214s as he appeared at times under pressure - looking frustrated in the pits and making an uncharacteristic mistake in the closing moments.

Martin was quickest at the start of the session, leading the way early on with a 1m40.934s as Bagnaia trailed by three-tenths.

Departing VR46 rider Bezzecchi - joining Aprilia next year alongside Martin - was consistently in the mix, beating Martin’s time early on as the Spaniard dropped to ninth, while Bagnaia sat fourth.

Tech3 rider Augusto Fernandez’s troubled final weekend with the team continued with a crash at Turn 5 after 15 minutes, coming after he collided with team-mate Pedro Acosta in first practice.

Heading into the second half of the session, Bezzecchi improved again to lead with a 1m39.829s ahead of Gresini rider Alex Marquez and Acosta, with Bagnaia and Martin fourth and fifth.

As the time attacks got underway, Martin again went quickest, with his 1m39.2164s putting him 0.4s ahead of Bagnaia, the two split by the Aprilia pair of Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro, who undertakes his final weekend as a full-time MotoGP rider in Barcelona.

With just three minutes remaining, Martin looked set to improve again, but a small front tuck at Turn 5 forced him to bail out with a shake of the head as Bezzecchi took the lead of the timesheet.

Ultimately, it was Bagnaia who went quickest of all, with VR46 Academy ally Bezzecchi in second ahead of Espargaro.

Johann Zarco continued a brilliant Friday for LCR Honda in fourth, with team-mate Takaaki Nakagami having topped FP1, with Martin in fifth ahead of Vinales.

The Marquez brothers were seventh and eighth, with Alex ahead, while Acosta and factory Ducati rider Enea Bastianini completed the top 10 who will head directly into Q2.