MotoGP

What went on in first MotoGP practice at Mugello

by Valentin Khorounzhiy
3 min read

LCR Honda MotoGP rider Takaaki Nakagami led the way in the opening premier-class practice session of the Italian Grand Prix weekend at Mugello.

Key moments:

> Nakagami 0.408s clear

> No Yamahas in top 10

> Aprilia debuts striking rear wing

A uniquely tight top three, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) and Alex Rins (Suzuki) all covered by just 0.001s, was leapfrogged by Nakagami with 15 minutes left on the clock.

And the Japanese rider then used a fresh set of medium tyres to find nearly another four tenths, cementing himself as the pace-setter in the session.

Late bits for improvement from Espargaro and Bagnaia went begging, meaning the duo ended up on the same laptime in effectively a joint second place, with Rins right behind and Gresini Ducati’s Enea Bastianini completing the top five.

Maverick Vinales, who like Espargaro has secured a new Aprilia deal for 2023 and 2024, was 0.005s behind Bastianini in sixth, with Jack Miller of Ducati in seventh.

There were two instances of riders ending up on the same laptime within the top nine, with former KTM team-mates Pol Espargaro (now at Honda) and Johann Zarco (now at Pramac Ducati) joint eighth-fastest.

Championship leader Fabio Quartararo took up his customary position as the lead Yamaha, but was only 11th, sandwiched between the VR46 Ducati of Luca Marini and the World Superbike-liveried Ducati of test rider Michele Pirro.

There were also no KTMs in the top 10, its contingent led by Brad Binder in 17th – with Miguel Oliveira, strongly linked with a demotion to the Tech3 satellite squad, right behind.

With Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori making a wildcard appearance alongside Pirro, he trialled what was effectively a race car-style rear wing on his RS-GP, and ended up 22nd.

Practice 1 Results

Pos Name Team Bike Gap Next Gap Leader Best Time
1 Takaaki Nakagami LCR Honda IDEMITSU Honda 1m46.662s
2 Aleix Espargaró Aprilia Racing Aprilia +0.408s +0.408s 1m47.07s
3 Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo Team Ducati +0s +0.408s 1m47.07s
4 Alex Rins Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki +0.001s +0.409s 1m47.071s
5 Enea Bastianini Gresini Racing MotoGP Ducati +0.115s +0.524s 1m47.186s
6 Maverick Viñales Aprilia Racing Aprilia +0.005s +0.529s 1m47.191s
7 Jack Miller Ducati Lenovo Team Ducati +0.124s +0.653s 1m47.315s
8 Johann Zarco Pramac Racing Ducati +0.052s +0.705s 1m47.367s
9 Pol Espargaró Repsol Honda Team Honda +0s +0.705s 1m47.367s
10 Luca Marini Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati +0.016s +0.721s 1m47.383s
11 Fabio Quartararo Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha +0.01s +0.731s 1m47.393s
12 Michele Pirro Austrian Junior Cup Ducati +0.039s +0.77s 1m47.432s
13 Alex Marquez LCR Honda Castrol Honda +0.13s +0.9s 1m47.562s
14 Marco Bezzecchi Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati +0.022s +0.922s 1m47.584s
15 Joan Mir Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki +0.074s +0.996s 1m47.658s
16 Franco Morbidelli Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha +0.069s +1.065s 1m47.727s
17 Brad Binder Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM +0.019s +1.084s 1m47.746s
18 Miguel Oliveira Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM +0.074s +1.158s 1m47.82s
19 Marc Marquez Repsol Honda Team Honda +0.055s +1.213s 1m47.875s
20 Jorge Martin Pramac Racing Ducati +0.028s +1.241s 1m47.903s
21 Andrea Dovizioso WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team Yamaha +0.175s +1.416s 1m48.078s
22 Lorenzo Savadori Aprilia Racing Aprilia +0.175s +1.591s 1m48.253s
23 Fabio Di Giannantonio Gresini Racing MotoGP Ducati +0.082s +1.673s 1m48.335s
24 Darryn Binder WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team Yamaha +0.575s +2.248s 1m48.91s
25 Raul Fernandez Tech3 KTM Factory Racing KTM +0.001s +2.249s 1m48.911s
26 Remy Gardner Tech3 KTM Factory Racing KTM +0.049s +2.298s 1m48.96s
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