Bagnaia takes the lead in training in Misano

MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia has responded to Marc Marquez and Jorge Martin’s recent form issues by setting the fastest lap in Misano on Friday.

Bagnaia was fastest in high afternoon temperatures at the San Marino Grand Prix and at his home circuit, where he won MotoGP races in 2021 and 2022.

The Italian is still struggling to change direction smoothly on the GP24 following his crash at Aragon last Sunday, and waited until the closing minutes to set a time just three-tenths of a second slower than Martin’s lap record from last year.

Current championship leader Martin was third-quickest and less than three-tenths behind his main title rival, with Marc Marquez splitting the pair in second. The Catalan will contest the venue of his previous 2021 victory with Honda – having ended his victory drought at Aragon last weekend.

Franco Morbidelli won the 2020 San Marino GP and reached Q2 with his latest flying performance. The Italian jumped to fourth place and recorded his lap time despite a crash from Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro that triggered yellow lights and flags at Turn 1 and Turn 2 with less than two minutes remaining.

In fifth place was Bagnaia’s team-mate Enea Bastianini, who completed the top five entirely with Ducatis, ahead of Tech3 KTM rider Pedro Acosta in sixth.

The Spaniard initially led the session by equalling the best lap times from FP1, but then crashed at low speed at Turn 8, one of only six left-hand corners on the historic layout, with seven minutes remaining in the session.

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Another local hero, Marco Bezzecchi, took seventh for VR46 Ducati, while Maverick Vinales was the first of the Aprilia quartet in eighth.

Fabio Quartararo remained in the top 10 for most of the session, despite a swingarm wing failure that broke his Yamaha approaching Turn 8, and several off-track or off-line excursions. The Frenchman set his most competitive practice pace of the season to take ninth.

Jack Miller gained a lead from Bagnaia to take tenth place and the final spot in Q2, while KTM team-mate Brad Binder in 11th was the biggest victim of Morbidelli’s final attempt.

Having been dropped from the top 10 in the dying seconds, the South African still has a lot of work to do to blast out of Q1 on Saturday morning.

Aleix Espargaro led his younger brother Pol as the siblings finished 12th and 13th respectively for Aprilia and KTM, with Miguel Oliveira in 14th for Trackhouse Aprilia.

Honda could once again count on Johann Zarco as the lead rider in the RCV, as factory rider Joan Mir missed Friday’s race with a stomach virus. However, he should be able to participate in Q1 tomorrow.

MotoGP San Marino GP – FP2 Results