MotoGP Catalonia: Morbidelli flies in FP3, Quartararo 2nd. Rossi in Q2 by a whisker

Minimum gaps in the premier class in Barcelona. In FP3, Franco Morbidelli closes a super lap at the end and gets behind a very fit Quartararo. Valentino Rossi enters Q2 directly, like Aleix Espargaro’s Aprilia. Bagnaia also did well, 4th, while Miller was only 11th

The top class drivers took to the track for Free Practice 3, the last chance to enter Q2. The Yamaha Frenchman remains in command for most of the session, but at the end he is mocked by Franco Morbidelli who takes back the previously canceled lap and the first position in FP3 and in the combined standings. Only 46 thousandths of advantage over Quartararo, who in turn was one tenth behind the Portuguese Oliveira, who was very fast with KTM. Bagnaia recovers at the end of the session and is saved from Q1 with a super lap under the checkered flag.

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A hard-fought session

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The top 10 MotoGP riders are contained in just six tenths: Aleix Espargaro is also very fast with Aprilia, 5th in the combined ahead of Brad Binder and Zarco. More subdued Maverick Viñales, who is taking measures with the new crew chief, while Mir returns to be among the protagonists. Valentino Rossi surprises and at the end of the session he manages to gain direct access to Q2. All the Yamahas are in the top 10, while no Honda rider is at the top of the standings. After Miller’s Ducati, 11th, there are Nakagami and Pol Espargaro. Marc Marquez still in great difficulty: the multiple champion is only 15th.

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MotoGP combined ranking

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After the three free practice sessions, here is the combined ranking of the premier class, with the top 10 immediately facing Q2 and all the others having to earn one of the two positions in Q1.
1. Morbidelli (Ita – Yamaha), 1’38 ”929
2. Quartararo (Fra – Yamaha)
3. Oliveira (By – Ktm)
4. Bagnaia (Ita – Ducati)
5. A. Espargaro (Spa – Aprilia)
6. Binder (Saf – Ktm)
7. Zarco (Fra – Ducati)
8. Viñales (Spa – Yamaha)
9. Mir (Spa – Suzuki)
10. Rossi (Ita – Yamaha)
11. Miller (Aus – Ducati)
12. Nakagami (Giap – Honda)
13. P. Espargaro (Spa – Honda)
14. Petrucci (Ita – Ktm)
15. M. Marquez (Spa – Honda)
16. Martin (Spa – Ducati)
17. Lecuona (Spa – Ktm)
18. A. Marquez (Spa – Honda)
19. Bastianini (Ita – Ducati)
20. Marini (Ita – Ducati)
21. Savadori (Ita – Aprilia)

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