MotoGP 2021 – Round Seven
Catalunya – Friday

---

By the end of play on Friday at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, it’s Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) leading the way on the combined timesheets with a 1:39.235, but the Frenchman has some close company from Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) as the Italian end the day just 0.021 in arrears. Last year’s winner and Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) completes the top three, a tenth and a half down.

Another key headline from the day was the return of fans to the grandstands. The event will be held with a maximum of 24,000 fans per day allowed in – 20 per cent of capacity – and the riders made sure to slow down and greet the crowd on the way back into pitlane.

---

MotoGP Friday Quotes

Johann Zarco – P1

“Very satisfied with today. I knew that after Mugello I had learned something and I couldn’t wait to try it out. We are working very well with the team, and the results are evidence of this. Now we just need to continue on this route.”

Franco Morbidelli – P2

“I’m really happy with today, it has started well and it is important that we did that. We had a good feeling on the bike and I was able to be fast straight away. Now we have got to keep on working and try to improve further. I’m feeling quite good about our race pace, of course there is still work to do, but I’m happy with where we are. I really like the new Turn 10 and it fits with the rest of the circuit, it flows. The old Turn 10 made you feel like you were on another circuit. We tried all the tyres today in preparation for Sunday’s race and I felt good with both compounds, I was able to be fast with both. Now we just need to look at the endurance of them, before we make any decisions.”

Fabio Quartararo – P3

“It was a great first day in Catalunya. The pace of this morning and this afternoon was good. We clearly worked on that today. We are fast already, and I know where we can improve. The new asphalt is something we need to pay attention to. The change in tarmac is tricky, but the new lay-out is much better than the old one. I look forward to tomorrow’s qualifying session and I will do my best to be on the front row. If I can go for pole, of course I will go for it. One of my favourite things to do at a race weekend is qualifying!”

Francesco Bagnaia – P5

“Compared to this morning, in the afternoon, we were able to improve a lot and get the fifth fastest time easily. However, the track has very little grip, so we still have work to do. Compared to the usual, today we adopted a different strategy: we ran mainly with the soft tyre, but we have already understood that it is not the right choice for the race. Tomorrow we will also try the other options available. At the moment, I am satisfied with how the weekend is going, and I am positive about tomorrow’s qualifying”.

Maverick Vinales – P6

“I felt good on the bike. For sure, we changed the bike quite a lot during FP1 and FP2. That‘s not something I usually do, but right now we have to do it to find a better balance and make the bike better suited to my riding style. I felt many positive things during the day. With Silvano, we are working very steadily. We know that our priority right now is to find a setting that makes me feel comfortable so I can ride the bike with my own riding style. We didn‘t check the lap times or my position too much. We are just trying to match my riding style to the bike. My race pace wasn‘t too bad at all. We did have a big drop on the rear tyre, but I think this has more to do with the bike‘s setting. We can fix this. On the first longer run I felt good. I did 1‘40-lows. This is a rhythm that should get you into the top 4, so we need to keep working as we have been doing today.”

Jack Miller – P7

“It was a positive first day, and it was nice to see the fans back in the stands after so long! The asphalt grip is really low on this track, so we did many laps today to figure out what strategy to adopt for the race on Sunday. I think we have a clear idea already. Tomorrow we will do some more tests with the hard rear tyre to try to improve some aspects. But, in general, I feel comfortable on my Desmosedici, and I am confident that I can do well again tomorrow”.

Enea Bastianini – P8

“I am quite happy with the first day. We started off on the right foot in FP1 and I immediately found a good feeling. This afternoon we were able to work a little bit with the tires, trying to understand the tire compound and the tire life. I felt comfortable with both and it won’t be easy to decide for the race. On my first fast lap I went off the track and on my second one I made some mistakes. Nevertheless, I’m eighth, but with a margin, so I think we can make a step forward tomorrow.”

 Aleix Espgargaro – P9

“As always, the grip here in Barcelona is rather low and that also makes it hard to analyse tyre performance. I hope the track continues to rubberise and improve, as happened already between the two sessions today. In any case, I am pleased overall and I’m confident that we’ll be able to take another step forward tomorrow.”

Pol Espargaro – P10

“It’s been a strange day honestly speaking. Normally this isn’t my best track because it’s hot with low grip and I’m a rider who prefers different conditions. The times came quite easily in the morning as well as in the afternoon, we were not pushing a lot and the times were coming. But when we put the soft on the rear of the bike, everyone gains extra time but we can’t quite find it so this is where we are suffering at the moment. Aside from this, our feeling is very good and we have started the weekend well. We also have to say well done for the new Turn 10, it’s very nice.”

Takaaki Nakagami – P11

“Today, the track condition was quite bad because in the morning and afternoon sessions everyone struggled with grip. We were working on the medium compound, which might be the race tyre, but we struggled a lot with side grip. I’m happy with the feeling and my confidence on the bike, but we’re just lacking grip. That’s the only issue, but today, it was a big one for us. Hopefully tomorrow the track will be in better condition, then, for sure, we have good potential. Today I was also outside the top 10, in P11, but it’s very, very tight – from P7 to P14 is only one tenth. So, we’ll keep pushing and work hard to improve the bike.”

Danilo Petrucci – P12

“This track is always very tricky, because the asphalt is pretty hot. But today, we have been working well, improving our setup. Thanks also to the help of more people. We are still not in the position, we want to be, but we are getting closer and closer. Tomorrow morning, it would be very important to do a good lap time in order to reach the top 10, which is the big target for Saturday.”

Luca Marini – P13

“This track is great fun to ride a MotoGP bike, although today’s conditions were really difficult in terms of grip. We struggled a bit, but we were also able to try some new solutions in terms of set-up and overall, I’m happy with the day. We need to make a step forward on the fast laps, we have room for improvement, and we will use FP3 to try something else. There are some places on the track where I can’t do what I want to do.”

Marc Marquez – P15

“I struggled a bit today like every Friday, in FP2 I felt a bit better and tomorrow the aim is to do another step. We are here trying to understand the way in which to improve, step by step and making laps of the circuit to understand more. There’s a couple of points on track where I need to work to adjust my position, but compared to the last few races my body feels better. The work done to Turn 10 is very good, it’s a more natural corner and closer to what the rest of the circuit is, I think it’s a good opportunity to overtake in the last laps.”

Joan Mir – P16

“I felt pretty strong on this first day, despite the track not being very grippy. I was quite competitive in both sessions, but when I switched to the soft-soft combination at the end of the session I had a little problem with the front of the bike and I didn’t feel very comfortable with pushing for a fast lap, so I decided it was better to come into the pit. I knew I couldn’t get close enough to my previous best time and I preferred to be safe instead of over-pushing. I had a nice race pace, with lots of consistent laps, but I need to work on setting some fast laps. My team will try to discover how best to deal with the problem I encountered today and we’ll be ready to go again tomorrow.”

Iker Lecuona – P17

“I’m quite happy. This morning, we did a very good job. I had a decent pace, although I knew I still had to improve it a bit. Anyway, I felt really good with the bike. This afternoon I went alone on the first exit, improved a lot and was very close to the top guys. Overall, I feel strong. Just for the time attack, I did a small mistake on the last lap, but it’s still Friday, so we are happy, the pace is there. We need to continue to work for Qualifying tomorrow, but for the moment, we feel like we are on the way.”

Álex Márquez – P18

“First of all, it was nice to have fans in the grandstand, it’s good to be slowly getting back to normal life, that’s always good news. However, it was a difficult day, we have a lot of problems with the rear grip, it was really difficult to get grip and be fast, especially with a new tyre. So that’s where we need to improve and tomorrow, hopefully, we’ll find something and be fast again. We’ll try hard again and work with the team this afternoon to find some good points and then look to improve a lot tomorrow from the morning.”

Valentino Rossi – P19

“This was not fantastic, but it also wasn’t too bad. This afternoon we tried to modify the setting on the bike to improve the braking and corner entry, but it didn’t quite work and I didn’t feel as comfortable. I was unable to ride like I wanted and I didn’t have a good feeling with it. As the morning was okay, we will try to go back to that tomorrow and we will see what happens. Turn 10 is a very tricky and technical corner, it’s difficult to find the right line, but it’s very beautiful and it’s a little bit faster now. I really like it.”

Lorenzo Savadori – P20

“The first day here at Montmelò did not go badly. There are still some things I need to develop, but we’ll do it with my crew chief and the mechs, analysing the data. Pace is not bad and I noticed that I’m pretty fast even when riding with the others. Unfortunately,I made a mistake on T3 with the new tyre and was unable to improve my time, but I am still satisfied with this first day.”

Jorge Martín – P21

“I’m so happy, I couldn’t wait to get back, it’s a dream to be back here. Now I just need to get my confidence back, but already in FP1 I saw that I was going well. Tomorrow I’ll try to do my best and have a good qualifying.”

---

MotoGP FP1

The morning began with Morbidelli enjoying a similar gap to the top, the Italian opening the weekend only 0.024 in arrears, but it was to Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) in FP1. The Aprilia man hit back late to take over, with Morbidelli having otherwise led the majority of the session.

0.373 was the gap back to Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) in third as he pipped Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), new crew chief alongside him, by just 0.002. Zarco, to begin the weekend, completed the top five – again by mere hundredths. Quartararo, Mugello podium finisher Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), reigning Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed the top ten as action began, with no crashes in the session.

MotoGP FP2

The afternoon saw Morbidelli rise to the top early too, the Italian leading the way for half an hour mid-session before Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) took over. Next Zarco struck, Morbidelli hit back and finally, the French Pramac Racing rider nipped back into P1 by thousandths to end the session – and day – fastest.

Quartararo took third from Binder, and Bagnaia moved up from P10 in FP1 to P5 in the afternoon. Viñales and Miller were next up, with rookie Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) putting in an impressive day at the office to take eighth. Aleix Espargaro was just six thousandths further back, and the gap to Pol Espargaro in P10? Zero. The two brothers from Granollers, which is right next to the track, set identical best laps.

MotoGP Combined timesheets

All but one improved in the afternoon, so it’s Zarco, Morbidelli, Quartararo in the top three. Binder puts KTM in fourth as the Austrian factory continue their recent resurgence, with Bagnaia completing the top five. Viñales, Miller, Bastianini, Aleix and Pol Espargaro complete the top ten.

That leaves Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) as the first looking to move forward in FP3 as the Japanese rider ends Friday in 11th, ahead of Danilo Petrucci (Red Bull KTM Tech3) as the Italian put in a solid performance ahead of Tech3 expecting to receive the new KTM chassis – possibly and/or probably – for the post-race test on Monday.

Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) had a solid day in P13 despite a run off at Turn 4, able to rejoin with no big drama, with Oliveira shuffled down to P14. The Portuguese rider seems a likely threat for a move up the timesheets in FP3…

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was fifteenth, ahead of Mir as the reigning Champion plummeted down the order in the afternoon. Still, there’s plenty of time left to attack for Q2 on Saturday morning after he suffered a problem that denied him a full time attack on Friday.

The only rider who didn’t improve in FP2 was Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) as the Spaniard returns from injury.

MotoGP Combined Times

2021 MotoGP Standings

---

Moto2

The Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya begins with a familiar name on top in Moto2: Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo). The rookie was fastest on Friday ahead of a resurgent Augusto Fernandez, with the number 37’s Elf Marc VDS Racing teammate Sam Lowes completing the top three. Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was fourth as the two teams duelled for Day 1 honours.

Moto2 FP1

The morning belonged to Elf Marc VDS Racing Team as they locked out at the top in the intermediate class. Augusto Fernandez headed team-mate Sam Lowes by a tenth and a half, with man of the moment Gardner just 0.003 further back in third place. His teammate, rookie Raul Fernandez, ended FP1 just 0.048 off the Aussie, with Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) completing the top five.

Keminth Kubo ( VR46 Master Camp Team) was the only faller, rider ok. Barry Baltus (NTS RW Racing GP) didn’t crash, but the Belgian did put in one of the greatest saves of the season so far.

Moto2 FP2

Raul Fernandez struck back in the afternoon, taking to the top late on and deposing teammate Gardner after the Australian led the session for the majority. Lowes and Augusto Fernandez took third and fourth, respectively, with Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) fifth quickest on home turf.

Augusto Fernandez crashed and rejoined, as did Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and injury replacement Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors Speed Up). Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) and wildcard Piotr Biesiekirski (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Euvic) were also fallers in the afternoon.

Barry Baltus did take a tumble at Turn 4 in the afternoon, and headed for the medical centre for a check up.

Moto2 Combined timesheets

Raul Fernandez’ FP2 best puts him top from Augusto Fernandez’ FP1 time, with 0.016 between the two. Lowes is in third ahead of Gardner, with Bezzecchi’s FP1 fastest taking the last place in the top five.

Vierge is sixth ahead of a good showing from Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40), with Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), rookie Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team) completing the top ten on the combined times.

As it stands, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Marcos Ramirez (American Racing) complete the names who stand to move through to Q2, with FP3 deciding it with a final shuffle on Saturday.

Moto2 Combined Times

Moto2 Championship Points Standings

---

Moto3

Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) is the man to beat in Barcelona at the end of Day 1 of the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, the Argentinean following up his Mugello podium in style. Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing), last year’s lightweight class winner at the track, was second quickest less than a tenth down, with Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) completing the top three.

Moto3 FP1

Solunion GASGAS Aspar Team started the weekend on top with a 1-2, with Le Mans winner Sergio Garcia topping FP1 by a couple of tenths ahead of rookie teammate Izan Guevara after a late charge from both. Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team) was next up, a tenth and a half further back, ahead of John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing). The timesheets tightened up significantly behind the Brit as the gaps became hundredths or thousandths.

Adrian Fernandez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) crashed at Turn 16, and Darryn Binder slid out at Turn 5, both riders ok.

Moto3 FP2

FP2 saw the fastest time tumble by half a second as Rodrigo took over on top, with Binder for close company just 0.078 off and the two moving the goalposts by the end of play. A bigger gap of 0.180 then opened up to veteran Italian Romano Fenati in third, with Izan Guevara fourth after another good showing, the rookie a further two tenths in arrears. Then it got tight again, with third in the Championship Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) 0.034 back and the gaps all much less than a tenth all the way down to ninth-placed Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride).

Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) suffered a highside out of Turn 2, with Rodrigo taking a tumble not long after. CIP Green Power injury replacement rider Daniel Holgado, the Championship leader in both the FIM Moto3™ Junior World Championship and the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, also tumbled at Turn 8, riders all ok.

Moto3 Combined Timesheets

Rodrigo leads Binder, Fenati, Guevara, Sasaki and Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) overall, with Garcia’s FP1 best slotting him into seventh. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) take eighth and ninth, with Nepa completing the top ten.

As it stands, Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3), Le Mans podium finisher Riccardo Rossi (BOE Owlride), Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Salač, the Czech rider by virtue of his best in FP1, stand to move through to Q2… but everything could change again on Saturday morning.

Moto3 Combined Times

Moto3 Championship Points Standings

---

MotoE

Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing) duelled home hero Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) for top spot on Day 1 of Round 3 of the 2021 FIM Enel MotoE World Cup, and the German came out on top by half a tenth. Behind the two, there was a slightly bigger gap of a few tenths back to MotoE rookie Yonny Hernandez (Octo Pramac MotoE) as the Colombian impressed to complete the top three.

The fastest top speed in MotoE history was also set at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya. The previous best was a 249.1 km/h from Valencia 2019, but that was bettered in FP1 in Barcelona as Dominique Aegerter did 262.1 km/h. And in the afternoon it was broken again, with Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE’s Andrea Mantovani registering 262.7 km/h.

MotoE Combined Times

Moto3 Championship Points Standings

---

2021

Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya Schedule

Source: MCNews.com.au