MotoGP Misano: Quartararo in charge for FP1

Reigning MotoGP Champion Fabio Quartararo kicked off his San Marino weekend from the top of the free practice times on Friday morning.

A 1’32.313, set on his final of 23 laps around the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli gave the Monster Energy Yamaha rider a quarter of a second advantage after 45-minutes of action. Ducati Lenovo’s Jack Miller and Aruba.it wildcard Michelle Pirro completing the top three for the Bologna manufacturer as its home race fired up.

Friday practice began with the Espargaro brothers challenging for control in the times as Repsol Honda’s Pol led elder brother Aleix on the Aprilia before LCR’s Alex Marquez took over. The RS-GP’s commanding in tandem next time around as Maverick Viñales joined his team captain for first and second on 1’33 pace. Yamaha’s reigning champion Fabio Quartararo split the pair seconds later before Pol once again bettered his brother, this time with a 1’33.3 effort.

Quartararo took charge three-tenths quicker with his sixth lap of the morning as Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins joined the fight in second. The M1 threatening to break into the 1’32’s two laps later before the third sector dented his charge.

Andrea Dovizioso kicked off his final weekend in MotoGP from tenth in the standings, half a second adrift of his fellow Yamaha. Ducati’s Miller and Johann Zarco sat narrowly ahead with Pecco Bagnaia claiming fifth on his seventh attempt. Monster Energy’s Franky Morbidelli demoted the veteran Italian next time around with Ducati test rider Pirro doing likewise shortly after.

Quartararo finally broke through the 1’33 barrier with his 13th lap as the benchmark sat at 1’32.968, Pirro rising to second from Rins, Viñales and Pol Espargaro at the halfway stage before taking charge