Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) topped the timesheets in Friday’s MotoGP 2024 Round 19 ‘Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia 2024’ Practice, edging out title rival Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) by just 0.050 seconds in a thrilling session.
Bagnaia’s dominance highlights the fierce competition, with Martin and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) closely pursuing, setting the stage for an intense battle this weekend.
It was a high-stakes session, with Martin setting the pace early on a blistering 1:58.939, only to crash on his final attack. Despite the setback, the #89 rider maintained his position in the top three, showcasing his aggressive approach and formidable speed in Sepang. Bagnaia’s late-session time attack pushed him into P1, reinforcing his title intentions and adding pressure on Martin, who is just 17 points ahead in the championship standings.
The session was action-packed from the outset. Crashes from Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) in the first 15 minutes set an intense tone. Binder’s teammate, Jack Miller, secured ninth, becoming the only Pierer Mobility rider in the top 10, while Aprilia’s Maverick Viñales emerged as the top Aprilia finisher in fourth. Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing) also impressed, clinching P5 and finishing as the leading Gresini rider, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) following closely in sixth.
Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) secured seventh with a stunning 1:58.310, earning a spot in Q2. The Yamaha duo, with Quartararo in sixth and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha) in eighth, closed out a strong session, while Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing) nabbed the final top-10 slot on his last lap.
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) narrowly missed out on Q2 by just 0.076s, while Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing) struggled after an early crash, ending 12th. Andrea Iannone (Pertamina Enduro VR46), back on the grid, finished in 21st after a challenging first day.
MotoGP™ returns Saturday for Free Practice 2 at 10:10 local time (UTC +8), followed by qualifying at 10:50, which will set the grid for the Tissot Sprint at 15:00. With the championship race heating up, all eyes are on Bagnaia and Martin as they battle for critical points in Sepang.
Credit Photo : MotoGP
