French rider Fabio Quartararo on the Yamaha YZR M1 yielded to pressure, a sign of the mandatory long-lap penalty in MotoGP competition. At the British Grand Prix, the Silverstone circuit closed the first day of free practice with the strongest performance in the category.
Quartararo clocked a 1:58.946 lap, slightly ahead of the Spaniards Joan Mir on the Suzuki GSX RR and Maverick Viñales on the Aprilia RS-GP.
When the lights went green, the Spanish Aprilia duo, Alex Espargaró and Viñales, launched an immediate team-focused push. In just four laps, they vaulted to the top two positions on the timing sheets, signaling their goal to maximize collaboration and speed on track.
Fastest of the day remained Fabio Quartararo. Riders such as Bagnaia and Jorge Martín started outside the top ten in the British GP standings, illustrating a day of shifting forms and competitive tension.
Espargaró posted the best single lap of 1:59.681, edging past Quartararo’s morning time. Johann Zarco, aboard the Ducati Desmosedici GP22, logged 1:59.893, while Viñales stood just 56 thousandths behind, with Quartararo holding third—actually fifth if morning times were considered, since Zarco and Pecco Bagnaia had set swifter times earlier. The second lap barely underway and the gap remained tight, underscoring a highly competitive opening session.
[Consulta la clasificación del GP de Gran Bretaña]
After the opening laps, most riders headed back to the pits for a quick workshop review, completing six laps before returning to the track. The aim was to calibrate the prototypes further and refine the accuracy of the adjustments based on early feedback.
On the second run, Spaniard Aleix Espargaró took the lead briefly on the timeline, with a little more than four-tenths of a second separating him from his teammate Viñales over two rapid laps. Miller, who had started strong for Ducati, faced an early setback when Jack Miller crashed at Turn 7, forcing a prompt rejoin of his crew and a halt to that particular in-lap.
‘Yunusluk’ caught attention with an exuberant shout, highlighting how Aprilia’s alignment in the team approach was resonating on track. Go to how Aprilia moves with Aleix Espargaró.
⚡Ducati Shark Spoiler
Among the day’s novelties at this post-holiday round was the appearance of shark-fin appendages on the rear of Ducati machines. Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martín showcased the aerodynamic update, contesting for second place in the official squad alongside Bagnaia.
With less than three minutes of practice remaining, Joan Mir capitalized on the improved conditions to post a 1:59.100 on the Suzuki GSX RR, a solid effort but shy of the outright best. The 2019 benchmark set by Marc Márquez on the Honda RC 213 V at 1:58.168 remained a reference point for the day’s fastest times.
He did not hold that position long, as Mir soon found himself overtaken by the world leader with a 1:58.946, which would anchor the day’s top time and shape the first-day standings. Miguel Oliveira on the KTM RC 16 claimed sixth, with Bastianini on the Ducati, Miller, and Bezzecchi rounding out the subsequent positions in the second classification.
⚡Zarco fastest in Diameter 1 ⚡
Before Rins and Bagnaia, the second session for the British GP showcased more pace and drama from the sport’s top riders. Neither Jorge Martín nor Alex Marquez, nor Pol Espargaró, Raúl Fernández, nor Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia managed to crack the second-tier classification, underscoring the competition’s rising depth.
Ducati Shark Spoiler
Another notable moment of the day featured Ducati’s updated aerodynamics and the shark-fin devices that appeared on several bikes. The pairings of Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martín fought for strong results within the factory squad, while Bagnaia observed the evolving performance from their positions in the standings.
Augusto Fernandez is fastest in Moto2
In Moto2, Augusto Fernández on a Kalex edged out Celestino Vietti, the two contending for the leaders’ position after the second free practice on Friday. The Spaniard led in the evening session, trading places with Vietti and establishing a podium rhythm that featured Alonso López on a Boscoscuro bike in the final mix. The day also saw doctors clear competition after a femur injury sidelined a Dutch GP appearance, maintaining the season’s gradual return of riders to racing rhythm.
Albert Arenas on a Kalex climbed to fifth, while Arón Canet, also on Kalex, ended thirteenth, still adjusting after missing the Netherlands due to a nosebleed.
John McPhee rules in Moto3
In Moto3, John McPhee on a Husqvarna dominated, improving his lap by nearly two and a half seconds from the morning session and finishing inside the Top 10. Izan Guevara on a Gas Gas trailed by roughly four-tenths, with Palma rising to second in the second session ahead of his fellow Brit Xavi Artigas on a CFMoto. Teammate Sergio García Dols, who leads the World Championship by a slim margin, saw his form dip in the second session, dropping to eighteenth after leading earlier. David Muñoz and Jaume Masià on KTM cracked the Top 10, while Dennis Foggia on Honda remained narrowly behind in the world championship standings during Friday’s balance of times.