Wildcards Pirro and Pedrosa star in first Misano MotoGP practice

Ducati MotoGP tester Michele Pirro set the pace in the opening premier-class practice of the San Marino Grand Prix weekend, after fellow wildcard Dani Pedrosa led for much of the session.

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Key moments:

> Pirro leads Ducati 1-2-3-4

> Pedrosa fast on prototype KTM

> Bagnaia 20th, Marquez 21st

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Pirro, like Pedrosa, spent much of this first session at the circuit – where he regularly tests for Ducati – at the very sharp end, and a late switch to soft tyres allowed him to produce a 1m31.909s to lead the way.

Wildcard delight at Misano! 🔝@PirroRider tops FP1 on home turf ahead of @Luca_Marini_97! 💪#SanMarinoGP 🇸🇲 pic.twitter.com/MnDQlbNSAc

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 8, 2023

He was followed by three fellow Ducati full-timers in VR46 rider Luca Marini (newly re-signed for one more season), Pramac’s Jorge Martin and Marini’s team-mate Marco Bezzecchi, who is nursing a pained left hand after the opening corner pile-up in the Catalan Grand Prix last weekend.

RNF Aprilia’s Raul Fernandez was an encouraging fifth on the year-old RS-GP, followed by Pedrosa – who ended up shuffled down to sixth but still gave the new KTM prototype, a carbon chassis, an impressive MotoGP practice debut.

The top 10 was completed by two more Aprilias and two more Ducatis in Maverick Vinales, Johann Zarco, Aleix Espargaro and Alex Marquez.

KTM’s non-wildcard contingent was led by Brad Binder in 11th, with Franco Morbidelli the top Yamaha in 12th.

Honda updates spotted 🔍👀@stefanbradl #SanMarinoGP 🇸🇲 pic.twitter.com/TglIVIkiCd

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 8, 2023

As for Honda, its five-rider group was headed by Stefan Bradl, likewise in a wildcard appearance and trying out updates ahead of the post-Misano Monday test that will mark a major step in factories’ 2024 development.

Championship leader Pecco Bagnaia was 20th, but just 0.690s off the pace, having returned this weekend with a “big hematoma” on his leg after his horror crash in Barcelona.

Honda legend Marc Marquez, freshly linked with a move away from the factory for as early as 2024, was behind Bagnaia in 21st.

LCR’s injury replacement for Alex Rins this weekend, Japanese rider Takumi Takahashi, was six seconds off the pace after his first 21 laps.

Takahashi, who has a previous MotoGP start from back in 2015, hasn’t yet cleared the 105% mark (compared to the session-topping laptime) needed to allow him to qualify and race.

However, he will have two more opportunities to do so, and only needs to find a second relative to the frontrunners.

Practice 1 Results