Practice report

MotoGP Qatar GP: Di Giannantonio tops practice; Martin and Marquez make the top 10 cut

While the title contenders will go straight into Q2, Pedro Acosta will make a rare Q1 appearance

Fabio Di Giannantonio hit form on one of his favourite tracks at Lusail on Friday, breaking the lap record to top evening practice at the MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix.

The VR46 Ducati rider was fast from the moment he bolted on a soft rear tyre midway through the session, and ultimately edged world championship leader Marc Marquez by 0.142s.

Second-fastest was plenty good enough for Marquez to progress straight into Qualifying 2, however. This was a session in which he not only focused on race set-up longer than most but also had the chain fly off his primary bike.

Marquez's mishap, with around 27 minutes remaining, barely registered a blip in his momentum and he was immediately back on the pace on his second bike.

His nearest challenger for the world title, Jorge Martin, stayed out of trouble and made the top 10 with the seventh-quickest time. The factory Aprilia rider was declared fit for the weekend ahead of Free Practice 1 and completed a full day's running, though not without pain in his broken right wrist.

The other rider in mathematical title contention, Marco Bezzecchi, was third-quickest aboard his factory Aprilia.

Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / Getty Images

After a particularly unhappy run of late, Francesco Bagnaia was suddenly able to join team-mate Marquez at the front of the pack, clocking the fourth-quickest time. His pace throughout the day on race rubber suggested a real return to form for the Italian this weekend.

While Bagnaia surprised with his speed, Pedro Acosta shocked with his lack of it. The Spaniard was simply too slow on the factory KTM, and never really troubled the top 10. He could only manage 14th-fastest time on the night, over a second off the pace.

There were two other KTM representatives in the top 10, however, with Enea Bastianini sixth on the Tech3 bike and Brad Binder 10th for the factory.

Both Trackhouse Aprilias also made the Q2 cut, with Raul Fernandez fifth and Ai Ogura ninth.

Johann Zarco flew the flag solo for Honda, with the LCR rider eighth quickest as his team-mate Diogo Moreira struggled his way to 17th in a field that is only 18-strong in the absence of the Yamaha quartet.

The only man slower than Moreira was Joan Mir's substitute at the factory team, Jake Dixon.

MotoGP Qatar GP - Practice results

MotoGP FIP Results

All Stats

Cla	Rider	#	Bike	Laps	Time	Interval	km/h
1	F. Di Giannantonio Team VR46	49	Ducati	18	1'50.406		175.425
2	M. Marquez Ducati Team	93	Ducati	17	+0.142 1'50.548	0.142	175.199
3	M. Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing Team	72	Aprilia	20	+0.260 1'50.666	0.118	175.013
4	F. Bagnaia Ducati Team	63	Ducati	20	+0.386 1'50.792	0.126	174.814
5	R. Fernández Trackhouse Racing Team	25	Aprilia	20	+0.608 1'51.014	0.222	174.464
6	E. Bastianini Tech 3	23	KTM	19	+0.618 1'51.024	0.010	174.448
7	J. Martin Aprilia Racing Team	89	Aprilia	19	+0.635 1'51.041	0.017	174.422
8	J. Zarco Team LCR	5	Honda	18	+0.895 1'51.301	0.260	174.014
9	A. Ogura Trackhouse Racing Team	79	Aprilia	19	+0.912 1'51.318	0.017	173.988
10	B. Binder Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	33	KTM	21	+1.003 1'51.409	0.091	173.845
11	F. Aldeguer Gresini Racing	54	Ducati	18	+1.041 1'51.447	0.038	173.786
12	F. Morbidelli Team VR46	21	Ducati	20	+1.078 1'51.484	0.037	173.728
13	L. Marini Honda HRC	10	Honda	20	+1.142 1'51.548	0.064	173.629
14	P. Acosta Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	37	KTM	22	+1.169 1'51.575	0.027	173.587
15	M. Viñales Tech 3	12	KTM	22	+1.247 1'51.653	0.078	173.466
16	I. Lecuona Gresini Racing	27	Ducati	20	+1.324 1'51.730	0.077	173.346
17	D. Moreira Team LCR	11	Honda	19	+1.786 1'52.192	0.462	172.632
18	J. Dixon Honda HRC	96	Honda	19	+1.987 1'52.393	0.201	172.323
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