Rins comes out on top in opening practice

Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) has gone fastest in MotoGP™ FP1 at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya. He clocked a 1:40.101 in the final few minutes of the opening session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, and backed that up with a 1:40.185 as he greeted the chequered flag. Like Rins, Aprilia Racing’s Maverick Viñales finished with new medium compound Michelin tyres, front and rear, and consolidated second on the timing screen with a 1:40.296 on his final lap.

Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) had been the early pace-setter on his YZR-M1, and the 1:40.695 which the Italian set on his first run was good enough for him to be classified third when the music stopped. Aleix Espargaro, who has now finished third for the last four MotoGP™ races in a row now, mixed things up ever so slightly by setting a 1:40.708 which saw him claim fourth-fastest in FP1. The Repsol Honda Team’s Pol Espargaro made for four different manufacturers in the top five with a 1:40.733 which he set on used tyres (soft front, medium rear) at the half-hour mark.

Two more Honda riders followed on the timesheet, namely team-mates Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol). Nakagami went as quick as a 1:40.868 and Marquez was just 0.004 seconds slower, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Miguel Oliveira taking eighth on a 1:40.901. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was ninth and Ducati rider Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) made sure all six factories were represented in the top 10.

We have to look back to 14th to find World Championship leader and newly re-signed Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ rider Fabio Quartararo, whose personal-best was a 1:40.938. One position behind him was the man who reignited his title bid with victory a week ago at Mugello, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), the Italian clocking a 1:41.105. Of course, it is just FP1 and it seemed that neither went for a time attack in the closing stages.

Track temperature was already up to 35 degrees Celsius on Friday morning at Barcelona, suggesting a warm weekend. However, the only crash of the session, suffered by Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), looked like it may have been the result of slipping on a cooled-out left-hand side of the tyre as he negotiated Turn 2 in the final 10 minutes. Martin was able to walk away from the spill, before heading back on track and ultimately being classified 20th in the session.

Can Rins stay on top, or will someone else jump up the timesheet in FP2? Find out later on Friday when that session gets underway at 14:10 (GMT +2).

MotoGP™ FP1 Top 10:

1. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – 1:40.101
2. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) + 0.195
3. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha) + 0.594
4. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) + 0.607
5. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.632
6. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) + 0.767
7. Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) + 0.771
8. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 0.800
9. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.806
10. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing) + 0.930

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