Binder quickest in FP1 at Sepang

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder has clocked the fastest lap in FP1 for the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia. The South African set a 1:59.479 on his final lap of Friday morning around the Sepang International Circuit, with last-start winner Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) taking second at 0.097 seconds off the pace and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) third at another 0.047 seconds back. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) claimed seventh and World Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) 11th although they did not take new Michelins for their final runs, while Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) had a number of mishaps as he was classified 20th.

Quartararo is looking to either regain the Championship lead this weekend or at least give himself the best possible chance when the season finale takes place at Valencia in a fortnight from now, and he was fastest at end of his first run in Free Practice at Sepang on a 2:00.534 on a soft front and medium rear. When most of the field went for time attacks in the final few minutes, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) moved the marker to a 2:00.105 with a medium-hard combination and then a 1:59.966 next time through, before Marc Marquez clocked a 1:59.623 on a medium-soft set of tyres. He was quickest when the chequered flag came out, then Binder punched out his pace-setter on medium-medium tyres and Rins moved into second on a 1:59.576.

Behind Marquez was Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who remains a mathematical chance for the title, in fourth on a 1:59.875, from Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Martin, and Quartararo, who was fastest of those not to switch to new Michelin tyres at the end. Rounding out the top 10 were Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). The latter bounced back from an early crash to set a personal-best 2:00.767, while 11th went to Bagnaia on a 2:00.770. Aleix Espargaro crashed at Turn 8 on his second-run out lap and saw very little action once his second RS-GP seemed to display some sort of alarm, while Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) walked away from a spill with just over 15 minutes to go – the South African would be classified 22nd.

So, it’s a cagey start to the Malaysian GP, but riders will have to show their cards in FP2. Tune in then at 15:05 (GMT +8)!

MotoGP™ FP1 Top 10
1. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – 1:59.479
2. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.097
3. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.144
4. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) + 0.396
5. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.472
6. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) + 0.487
7. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) + 1.064
8. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) + 1.073
9. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) + 1.254
10. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) + 1.288

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