Miller tops first Le Mans MotoGP practice, Fernandez drops out

Jack Miller led the way for his new KTM team in the opening practice session of the Le Mans MotoGP weekend.

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Key moments:

> KTM 1-3 to continue strong form

> Marini best of the Ducatis in second

> Kalex Honda enjoys strong run after Marquez crash

> Fernandez drops out after three laps

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The MotoGP field began practice with 22 riders but will be down to 21 for the rest of the weekend, with RNF Aprilia’s Raul Fernandez doing just three laps before realising he would not be able to continue.

The Spaniard is recovering from a more-complex-than-anticipated arm pump surgery and will now target returning fully fit in a months’ time in Mugello.

Championship leader Pecco Bagnaia led the order coming into the final minutes, but the order was then reshuffled hugely by increasingly-customary first-session qualifying simulations.

It ultimately ended up with Bagnaia’s former Ducati team-mate Miller ahead on a 1m31.449s, with only VR46 Ducati’s Luca Marini denying KTM a 1-2.

Behind Miller’s current team-mate Brad Binder in third were two more satellite Ducatis, the Pramac entry of local rider Johann Zarco and the Gresini entry of Alex Marquez.

Honda works duo Joan Mir and Marc Marquez were sixth and 12th, both using the new Kalex chassis during the session. Mir likely had it under him in the lap that took him sixth, and the returning Marquez had spent the vast majority of the session with it after crashing on his initial run with the other, non-Kalex bike.

Not the first and not the last to be caught out here in Le Mans! ⚠️@marcmarquez93 first run back hits a bump in the road, but he seems all OK! 👍#FrenchGP 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/HiEmItofNh

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 12, 2023

The rest of the top 10 behind Mir was made up of Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia), Marco Bezzecchi (VR46 Ducati), Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) and Bagnaia – who was just 0.031s clear of Yamaha’s home hero Fabio Quartararo.

Along with the KTMs, Tech3 Gas Gas rookie Augusto Fernandez had an impressive runout, even featuring in the top five before the late-session time attacks – although his usual struggles on the soft tyre came through then as he only ended up 14th, 0.021s behind Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli.

LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami had to pull over at one point with a smoking bike but ended up 15th, ahead of Pramac’s Jorge Martin, who had a lap good enough for a spot towards the top go wrong in the final corner.

A tense couple of moments for @takanakagami30!

Taka did a fantastic job getting off the track as soon as he noticed! 👏#FrenchGP 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/wz92vs26mz

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 12, 2023

Gresini Ducati’s Fabio Di Giannantonio joined Marquez in crashing, doing so at the infamously treacherous Turn 3.

In his first ride as a factory Ducati MotoGP rider since the 2020 season finale, Enea Bastianini stand-in Danilo Petrucci placed 19th, 1.7s off the pace.

Practice 1 Results