Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) topped a very cool Gran Premio Michelin® de Aragon FP1, the Spaniard setting a 1:49.866 to lead a Yamaha trio at the top. Petronas Yamaha SRT teammates Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Quartararo completed the top three, both crashed on Friday morning though.
The session was delayed 30 minutes due to cold track temperatures, the MotorLand Aragon asphalt sitting at a very cool eight degrees at 09:55 local time and on safety grounds, MotoGP™ FP1 would get underway at 10:25. Pol Esparagro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the early pacesetter, with Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) becoming the first crasher of the weekend. The Frenchman was perfectly ok, Turn 14 the place. Quartararo and his teammate Morbidelli then exchanged P1, with fellow Yamaha man Viñales having a front-end scare heading into the Turn 14 – the Spaniard saving a lock-up.
Turn 14 almost trips up @mvkoficial12 too! ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) October 16, 2020
The @YamahaMotoGP rider avoids a repeat of @JohannZarco1's crash! ✊#AragonGP ???? pic.twitter.com/n8zUVNOigc
Track temperatures were creeping up very slowly, but it was still very cold in Aragon. The three Yamahas were looking good, seemingly able to get heat into their tyres quicker than anyone, with the likes of Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), teammate Danilo Petrucci and the two Pramac Racing riders struggling – Jack Miller and Francesco Bagnaia. Viñales was the first man to set a sub-1:50 lap time with 15 minutes of the session left, with third fastest Morbidelli crashing unhurt at Turn 14.
These conditions are proving treacherous! ???? @FrankyMorbido12, currently second, is down while @LecuonaIker is also running back to the pits after a fall! ????#AragonGP ???? pic.twitter.com/Ttjh2Ro3ic
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) October 16, 2020
Right at the end of the session, Quartararo was then down at Turn 8. The front washed away so early and it was a heavy impact for the Frenchman, thankfully the number 20 walked away but he took a fair whack on his right hip. Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech3) went down at Turn 2 in FP1, riders ok.
No saving those!!! ????@alexmarquez73 loses the front at the tricky Turn 2! ????#AragonGP ???? pic.twitter.com/n629fmPjbu
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) October 16, 2020
At the end of a cold morning session, Viñales was quickest from Petronas pair Morbidelli and Quartararo. Marquez claimed P4 to recover from his Turn 2 crash well, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) completing the top five. As a little comparison, Viñales was three seconds slower than Marc Marquez’ (Repsol Honda Team) 2019 FP1 pace – proof of how cold it was on Friday morning.
Fingers crossed the sun will warm up MotorLand Aragon ready for the busy FP2, tune in to watch it all unfold at 14:10 local time (GMT+2).
Top 10:
1. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) – 1:49.866
2. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 0.085
3. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 0.276
4. Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.310
5. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) + 0.554
6. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.559
7. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 0.598
8. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) + 0.732
9. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.855
10. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) + 0.935
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL RESULTS!