MotoGP Mugello: Nakagami fastest in FP1

LCR Honda Idemitsu’s Takaaki Nakagami led the times as free practice fired up in the Mugello hills with a 1’46.662 lap time.

The only man under the 1’47 barrier was four-tenths ahead of his nearest rivals, with a trio of riders on near identical pace in the top four. Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro and Ducati Lenovo’s Pecco Bagnaia both setting a 1’47.070 with Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins 0.001s back after 45 minutes on track.

Friday’s free practice kicked off with news that RNF is moving to Aprilia machinery for 2023 and 2024 as an independent outfit. The first time the Noale factory will field a satellite team and four bikes on the MotoGP grid, with provisions in place to allow the partnership to continue for future seasons in a two plus two deal. Question marks therefore surfacing over who will be on the extra RS-GP’s and how many Yamaha’s will be represented next year.

Freshly liveried purple Pramac Ducati’s took to the track as the session fired up, with title-sponsors Prima joining the Italian firm for the next three seasons. Michele Pirro joining the action and topping the initial times on the Aruba.it Ducati - as the WorldSBK outfit entered the GP paddock for the first time.

Le Mans winner Enea Bastianini sat second on the Gresini Racing GP21 with a trio of Aprilia’s locking out the top five in the opening laps as Maverick Viñales headed test rider Lorenzo Savadori - showcasing the new aero configuration - and main teammate Espargaro before the standings shuffled.

Pirro remained top as the first rider running 1’47 pace from Mooney VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi and Repsol Honda’s Pol Espargaro before Viñales returned with a 1’48.073 to claim second. The Aprilia duo bettering themselves next time around as ‘the Captain’ headed the