Dani Pedrosa has come to Jerez with a point to prove. The KTM test rider used his experience from the test here three weeks ago to set a string of fast laps and take top spot in the first session of practice for the MotoGP class. The MotoGP veteran was seven tenths faster than he was in the test, and a few hundredths of a second faster than the second-best rider at Jerez, Jorge Martin on the Pramac Ducati.
Takaaki Nakagami was third fastest, the LCR Honda rider always quick at his favorite circuit, nearly three tenths behind Pedrosa, while Luca Marini put the Mooney VR46 Ducatin into fourth spot, a fraction behind Nakagami. There was a very close tangle for third, with Aleix Espargaro, Brad Binder and Alex Marquez all within a few hundredths of Nakagami and Marini.
Reigning champion Pecco Bagnaia ended as ninth quickest on the Ducati, just behind KTM's Jack Miller and ahead of the second Aprilia of Maverick Viñales.
Fabio Quartararo ended the session way down in eighteenth, 1.3 seconds behind Pedrosa, but in contrast to all the other riders, the Monster Energy Yamaha rider didn't push for a quick lap. Quartararo spent all session on a single set of tires. That may prove to be a risky approach, given that track temperatures are expected to soar this afternoon, making it much harder to improve.
Results:
Pos | No. | Rider | Bike | Time | Diff | Prev |
1 | 26 | Dani Pedrosa | KTM | 1:36.770 | ||
2 | 89 | Jorge Martin | Ducati | 1:36.804 | 0.034 | 0.034 |
3 | 30 | Takaaki Nakagami | Honda | 1:37.044 | 0.274 | 0.240 |
4 | 10 | Luca Marini | Ducati | 1:37.053 | 0.283 | 0.009 |
5 | 41 | Aleix Espargaro | Aprilia | 1:37.090 | 0.320 | 0.037 |
6 | 33 | Brad Binder | KTM | 1:37.097 | 0.327 | 0.007 |
7 | 73 | Alex Marquez | Ducati | 1:37.138 | 0.368 | 0.041 |
8 | 43 | Jack Miller | KTM | 1:37.262 | 0.492 | 0.124 |
9 | 1 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati | 1:37.388 | 0.618 | 0.126 |
10 | 12 | Maverick Viñales | Aprilia | 1:37.389 | 0.619 | 0.001 |
11 | 5 | Johann Zarco | Ducati | 1:37.432 | 0.662 | 0.043 |
12 | 42 | Alex Rins | Honda | 1:37.487 | 0.717 | 0.055 |
13 | 88 | Miguel Oliveira | Aprilia | 1:37.633 | 0.863 | 0.146 |
14 | 72 | Marco Bezzecchi | Ducati | 1:37.682 | 0.912 | 0.049 |
15 | 36 | Joan Mir | Honda | 1:37.850 | 1.080 | 0.168 |
16 | 6 | Stefan Bradl | Honda | 1:37.902 | 1.132 | 0.052 |
17 | 25 | Raul Fernandez | Aprilia | 1:38.055 | 1.285 | 0.153 |
18 | 20 | Fabio Quartararo | Yamaha | 1:38.073 | 1.303 | 0.018 |
19 | 49 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | Ducati | 1:38.104 | 1.334 | 0.031 |
20 | 21 | Franco Morbidelli | Yamaha | 1:38.106 | 1.336 | 0.002 |
21 | 37 | Augusto Fernandez | KTM | 1:38.278 | 1.508 | 0.172 |
22 | 23 | Enea Bastianini | Ducati | 1:38.931 | 2.161 | 0.653 |
23 | 94 | Jonas Folger | KTM | 1:39.545 | 2.775 | 0.614 |
24 | 27 | Iker Lecuona | Honda | 1:40.509 | 3.739 | 0.964 |
Comments
NICEEEE.... I absolutely…
NICEEEE....
I absolutely adore that tiny guy. Wrestling a bike that others call ironpig...
I read elsewhere that the…
I read elsewhere that the team wants Dani to focus on the tryes used for the sprint race, so has he been doing 12 lap stints?
Very respectable!
Very respectable times from Folger and Lecuona, class acts.
In reply to Very respectable! by Seven4nineR
Agreed! I was gutted for…
Agreed! I was gutted for Folger when his condition took him out of contention just as he broke through and feel that Lecuona got short shrift indeed. Stoked to see them showing what they’re made of.
Beauty fades but class lasts…
Beauty fades but class lasts forever.