The Aprilias also continued to make a big noise in the second round of the Catalunya Grand Prix on Friday, the one that outlines the picture of the ten riders who have direct access to Q2. Just like this morning, the RS-GPs monopolized the first two positions, with Aleix Espargaro setting the new Barcelona track record in 1’38″686.
A track which is proving to be more slippery than expected, but which does not seem to create particular problems for the Noale bikes, even if it must be said that the rider from Granollers managed to do something truly sensational, resulting in the only one capable of breaking the wall of 1’39” on his home track, as well as having detached Maverick Vinales’ sister bike by a good 362 thousandths. The rider from Roses also took a big risk, when his RS-GP threw him rodeo-style coming out of turn 13, but he was very good at managing the situation without going flat.
If the Aprilias lined up everyone, it must be said that the Ducatis also had a Friday to remember, because the Desmosedici GPs are all in Q2 with the exception of one. Leading the peloton of the Reds is the world leader Pecco Bagnaia, who had set-up problems during the session, but then came out of it with a 1’39″061 which is worth third place.
Fourth time for the French Johann Zarco, who however already pays more than half a second for the colors of Prima Pramac Racing, while between sixth and tenth position we find Alex Marquez, Marco Bezzecchi, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martin . For “Beast” the direct Q2 is a sign of encouraging growth, after the difficulties he continued to experience even after recovering from the shoulder blade injury in Portimao. So only Luca Marini, 15th, is missing, who will pass from Q1 due to a technical problem with his Desmosedici GP.
The only non-Italian bike to have slipped into the top 10 is Brad Binder’s KTM, with the South African who set the fifth fastest time 660 thousandths behind, confirming once again that he is the only one capable of worrying the Ducatis and Aprilia right now. The other RC16s of Pol Espargaro and Jack Miller, who occupy 11th and 12th position, however remained out by a handful of thousandths. This also applies to Raul Fernandez’s Aprilia RNF, who crashed at turn 12, who follows them closely, and to his teammate Miguel Oliveira in 14th position.
The sore point of this session therefore were once again the Japanese bikes, which find themselves occupying the last six positions of the group: the two Yamahas of Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli are sadly in 17th and 18th positions, separated by a good 1″4. A real disaster if you think that “El Diablo” won in Catalonia last year. Which confirms that the M1 can’t even copy the performance of 2022.
In their wake is Marc Marquez, the only Honda rider to have suffered less than two seconds of delay, with Takaaki Nakagami who was also stopped by a technical problem in the early stages of the session, but still precedes Iker Lecuona and a Joan Mir who he even finds himself last. A difficult situation for a driver who was crowned world champion only three years ago.
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