At home, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) was the fastest in the first free practice session of the Catalan Grand Prix on Friday morning in the heat of Barcelona. With a time of 1’39”809, the Spanish driver beat his teammate Maverick Vinales (+0’264”) and Jorge Martin (Pramac), author of the third fastest time (+0’464”).
On a circuit that has been successful for him in the past, and where he won last year, Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) set the 9th fastest time in this first practice session, behind his teammate Franco Morbidelli and just ahead of his compatriot Johann Zarco (Pramac), last member of the top 10 before the practice session giving access to qualifications, scheduled for 2:50 p.m.
Returning to competition after his serious accident, Pol Espargaro (GasGas-Tech3) set the 6th fastest time of the morning, just over a second behind his brother. The reigning world champion and Championship leader, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati), preceded him with the 5th time while Marc Marquez (Honda) had yet another fall at the end of the session, without gravity but which did not allow him to do better than a penultimate place in these tests.
