P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Jorge Martin topped the timesheets in the opening practice session for this weekend’s Catalan Grand Prix. Martin’s rapid practice pace in the final minutes of the session on the soft front and rear tyres put him 0.292s clear of his championship rival Marc Marquez, with the Pramac Ducati rider setting in a banker lap of […]
“During the final minutes of the session, Martin’s rapid pace on soft tires propelled him to a significant lead of 0.292s over his championship rival, Marc Marquez, who had set the benchmark with a lap time of 1:39.871s. Following closely behind Marquez was Brad Binder, finishing only 0.094s adrift. The Pramac Ducati rider’s impressive third-place finish came as a relief after a challenging race at Le Mans. Home favorite Pedro Acosta secured the fourth spot, while Aleix Espargaro, bidding farewell to racing, claimed fifth. The riders predominantly favored soft front tires and medium rears in the clear Friday morning session. Despite a strong performance, Alex Marquez settled for sixth, with reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia in seventh. Augusto Fernandez and Jack Miller of GasGas and KTM respectively took eighth and ninth, showing promise for the upcoming races. Maverick Vinales finished in between Trackhouse Aprilia riders Raul Fernandez and Miguel Oliveira, emphasizing KTM’s competitiveness. The LCR Honda of Johann Zarco improved slightly, finishing 13th, while VR46 struggled with Di Giannantonio in 14th and Bezzecchi in second to last. The following spots were closely contested by Factory Yamaha and Honda riders, with Quartararo matching Di Giannantonio’s time exactly. Alex Rins secured 16th place, with Luca Marini outperforming Joan Mir on the Honda. Bastianini and Morbidelli faced disappointing finishes in 19th and 21st, respectively, surrounded by Takaaki Nakagami and the GP24 Ducati duo. Veteran wildcard rider Stefan Bradl concluded the session in last place.”
