MotoGP: Yamaha lead Ducati and KTM so far in Assen, with the #93 suffering two big crashes on the opening day of action.
Fabio Quartararo’s (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) 1:31.156 has given the Frenchman and Yamaha Day 1 honours at the Motul Grand Prix of the Netherlands in what was a rather dramatic Friday at the office. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), despite a crash in Practice, heads into Saturday as the second fastest rider, with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) kicking off his weekend with a positive P3.
However, positive wasn’t a word to describe Marc Marquez’s (Ducati Lenovo Team) day at the Cathedral of Speed. A big crash in FP1 was followed by another rapid off at Turn 7 as drama unfolded for the MotoGP World Championship leader, rider ok but down in sixth by the end of play..
TRICKY CONDITIONS
The first 30 minutes of Practice were dramatic to say the least, with a number of crashers before two Red Flags. Alex Marquez crashed at Turn 1, as teammate Fermin Aldeguer was then on the deck at Turn 7. That same corner caught out Aleix Espargaro (Honda HRC Castrol), with the Geert Timmer chicane catching out both Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3). Turn 12 was another place we saw someone crash, and that someone was Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team).
Then, Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) had a crash at Turn 11 that resulted in the red flags being waved for a short period with just under 32 minutes to go. The Japanese rider was perfectly alright, but his RS-GP cooked itself as the bike burst into flames.
THE CHASE FOR THE TOP 10
Quartararo led the way as the MotoGP riders reemerged from pit lane, but that didn’t last long because Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and then Alex Marquez climbed to the summit with 25 minutes to go.
A Turn 8 crash for Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing) saw more red flags then bring a halt to proceedings before we then got the usual Friday afternoon time attacks underway. And who went P1? Marc Marquez.
However, teammate Bagnaia was the pacesetter with five minutes to go thanks to a 1:31.410 – 0.045s quicker than Marquez. Another Italian then rose to P1 and it was Bezzecchi, but Alex Marquez ensured the Aprilia star didn’t stay at the top for long.
Then, more drama for Marc Marquez. Turn 7 caught out the #93 as the front end of his factory Ducati washed away. Marquez was back up on his feet but like his FP1 crash, the six-time MotoGP World Champion looked in a bit of discomfort. He remains fit to continue, but it’s a much tougher start to the Dutch TT than many expected.
THE TOP 10 ON FRIDAY
Elsewhere, Quartararo gate-crashed the Ducati and Aprilia party to send himself and Yamaha to P1. And despite a few improvements on their final laps, that was all she wrote in the chase to be top dog on Friday at Assen as the Frenchman remained untouchable.
Bezzecchi eventually slipped to P4, but that’s still a good day at the office for the Italian and Aprilia. Pecco ends Day 1 in P5, while a bruised Marc Marquez heads into Saturday as the sixth fastest – what does Saturday hold for the title chase frontrunner?
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) was a late improver into P7, Viñales left it a tad late to grab P8, as Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Zarco sail into Q2 after the latter nudged out Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) right at the end of the session.
COMING UP: Saturday in Assen
After a far from quiet Friday, what does Saturday’s qualifying and Tissot Sprint have in store – and how fit will Marc Marquez be after two crashes? We’ll find out soon enough.
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