Honda MotoGP rider Marc Marquez was comfortably quickest in the opening practice session at Aragon, as Aprilia newcomer Maverick Vinales placed 19th.
Marquez led virtually the whole session, although came close to being usurped towards the end by Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia, who closed to within 0.022s of the six-time champion’s benchmark.
However, Marquez – who’d won four consecutive MotoGP races at Aragon before missing last year’s double-header through injury – then found an extra second on a fresh rear-soft tyre.
A last-second improvement from Joan Mir – also using a new soft rear tyre – was chalked off for a track limits infringement, and while he remained second despite this, he wound up 0.971s off Marquez instead of five tenths.
Bagnaia completed the top three, ahead of Marquez’s younger brother Alex (LCR Honda) and fellow works Ducati rider Jack Miller.
Championship leader Fabio Quartararo began the weekend at what he believes to be his weakest track in MotoGP with an eighth place.
Aprilia debutant Vinales had an encouraging start to life on the RS-GP, aided by the two-day test at Misano just over a week ago.
Vinales closed to just over a second off Marquez with his opening run, although subsequent improvements were tempered, leaving him 2.1s off Marquez’s late effort and nine tenths off Aprilia team-mate Aleix Espargaro.
💢 @ValeYellow46 is down!
The Doctor is unhurt after sliding off at Turn 5! 👀#AragonGP 🏁 pic.twitter.com/15mHm3a9wF
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 10, 2021
Petronas Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi had a fall at the Turn 5 left-hander after getting on the kerb on corner entry and immediately losing the front.
The only other rider to crash was Tech3 KTM’s Iker Lecuona, who fell early on at Turn 16 while on course for what would’ve been the fastest time.
Early spill for @LecuonaIker! 💢
The @Tech3Racing rider is back on his feet! ✊#AragonGP 🏁 pic.twitter.com/0Xmjz28fyC
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 10, 2021
Practice 1 Results
| Pos | Name | Team | Bike | Gap Next | Gap Leader | Best Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marc Marquez | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 1m48.048s | ||
| 2 | Joan Mir | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | +0.971s | +0.971s | 1m49.019s |
| 3 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati Lenovo Team | Ducati | +0.174s | +1.145s | 1m49.193s |
| 4 | Alex Marquez | LCR Honda Castrol | Honda | +0.013s | +1.158s | 1m49.206s |
| 5 | Jack Miller | Ducati Lenovo Team | Ducati | +0.056s | +1.214s | 1m49.262s |
| 6 | Aleix Espargaró | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | +0.051s | +1.265s | 1m49.313s |
| 7 | Johann Zarco | Pramac Racing | Ducati | +0.059s | +1.324s | 1m49.372s |
| 8 | Luca Marini | SKY VR46 Avintia Team | Ducati | +0.024s | +1.348s | 1m49.396s |
| 9 | Fabio Quartararo | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | +0.055s | +1.403s | 1m49.451s |
| 10 | Takaaki Nakagami | LCR Honda IDEMITSU | Honda | +0.008s | +1.411s | 1m49.459s |
| 11 | Pol Espargaró | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | +0.13s | +1.541s | 1m49.589s |
| 12 | Enea Bastianini | Avintia Esponsorama Racing | Ducati | +0.063s | +1.604s | 1m49.652s |
| 13 | Cal Crutchlow | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | +0.018s | +1.622s | 1m49.67s |
| 14 | Miguel Oliveira | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | +0.024s | +1.646s | 1m49.694s |
| 15 | Danilo Petrucci | Tech3 KTM Factory Racing | KTM | +0.047s | +1.693s | 1m49.741s |
| 16 | Alex Rins | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | +0.043s | +1.736s | 1m49.784s |
| 17 | Iker Lecuona | Tech3 KTM Factory Racing | KTM | +0.158s | +1.894s | 1m49.942s |
| 18 | Jorge Martin | Pramac Racing | Ducati | +0.005s | +1.899s | 1m49.947s |
| 19 | Maverick Viñales | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | +0.24s | +2.139s | 1m50.187s |
| 20 | Valentino Rossi | Petronas Yamaha SRT | Yamaha | +0.112s | +2.251s | 1m50.299s |
| 21 | Brad Binder | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | +0.054s | +2.305s | 1m50.353s |
| 22 | Jake Dixon | Petronas Yamaha SRT | Yamaha | +0.835s | +3.14s | 1m51.188s |
