Innea Bastianini was at his best in MotoGP World Championship practice on Friday afternoon at Mandalika International Street Circuit, Indonesia. Winning 2 at Misano on Sunday, the Team Lenovo Ducati rider clocked 1:29.630 over 2.67 miles, breaking Luca Marini’s 2023 all-time lap record of 1:29.978 and leading a narrow field of 22 riders.
Just 1.368 seconds covered the entire field and eight riders were under the old lap record.
Second best in the session is current World Championship points leader George Martin with a 1:29.670 on the Prima Pramac Racing Ducati.
Franco Morbidelli, Martin’s teammate and fastest rider on Friday morning, was third fastest in 1:29.709.
Two-time defending world champion and Bastiani team-mate Francesco Bagnaia was fourth in 1:29.712.
Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team’s Marco Bezecchi completed a Ducati sweep of the top five places with a time of 1:29.844.
Other riders who finished in the top 10 on Friday afternoon and were booking second place on Saturday: Monster Energy Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo (1:29.844), Gresini Racing Ducati’s Marc Marquez (1:29.995), Red Bull GAASGAS Tech3’s Pedro Acosta (1) : 29.961 ), Bezecchi’s teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio (1:29.986) and Aprilia Racing’s Maverick Vinales (1:30.000).
Further, from Dorna’s press release:
Wavebreak: Bastianini beat Martin into P1, splitting the four by 0.082s.
As Bagnaya moved into the P4 pocket late on, the Beast took out Wick in practice to set a new Mandalka lap record.
Friday, September 27, 2024
A new Pertamina Mandalica International Service all-time lap record belongs to Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) in #23 after topping the practice time table on a sunny afternoon in Indonesia. The world championship leader set a stunning 1:29.630 to lead Emilia Romagna GP winner Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) by just 0.040s as his team-mate Franco Morbidelli and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed the top four. Paid less than a tenth.
It was a good start to the proceedings as we saw Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GAASGAS Tech3) crash at 10 minutes into turn one before we watched a classic Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) rescue on Friday afternoon – the #93 digging his right elbow and knee into the tarmac and somehow the Ducati GP23 sunny side up. He placed it on Turn 10.
The quiet part of the session – in terms of actual speed – then took place as drivers ran through their respective practice checklists, and despite the risk, Acosta led the timesheets from Marc Marquez on Friday afternoon in 25 minutes with 1 : 30.411.
Marco Bezecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) was the first rider to fit a new soft rear Michelin tire for the time attack, and the Italian moved up to P2 with his first effort – 0.004s clear of Acosta.
With 13 minutes to go, Martin pulled himself to the summit in 1:30.317. On his next lap, Martin smashed the lap record after landing a 1:29.670, 0.888s off Bagnaia’s first effort. The second Peko attack was improved, but the lap was only good enough for P9.
Another Ducati Lenovo team rider did not suffer the same problems. Bastiani was the pacesetter of the new session with ‘The Beast’ 1:29.630 – 0.040s faster than Martin. Meanwhile, the last four minutes were crucial for Bagnaia, who found himself in P12. That was soon P9 as Bagnaia continued to improve as Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) fell on lap 16, beating the shadow of the reigning world champion.
And when it matters most, Bagnaia delivers. #1 Morbidelli popped up to P3 before relegating his country to P4, as the session ended without any drama for the top four at the World Championship.
Bezecichi found it late to secure P5 on Day 1 in Indonesia, while Fabio Quattararo impressed again on his Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ machine to post the YZR-M1 in P6 – a fantastic effort from the Frenchman. Marc Marquez goes straight to Q2 in P7, as the eight-time world champion completed his day’s good work to help Peco back to the box after the Italian ran out of fuel.
Acosta, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) are the other riders heading straight into Q2, with Johan Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) and Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) missing out by less than one. Tenth in P11 and P12 as Honda continues to show signs of progress.
So that’s another Friday in the history books. Now, the focus turns to qualifying and the Tissot Sprint awaits another super Saturday in Indonesia and, as always, you can catch it all on motogp.com.
FP2: 10:10 (UTC +8)
Q1: 10:50
Q 2: 11.15
Tissot Sprint: 15:00
Oliveira said that he is not qualified for the Indonesian GP
Following a top-14 finish in free practice, the Trackhouse Racing star was sidelined after sustaining a broken right wrist in Lombok. The team confirmed that Oliveira underwent a three-dimensional CT scan at a hospital in Mataram to assess the need for surgery.
On Friday, Ogura’s timesheets are high, filled with key contenders.
World Championship leader Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) is in Indonesia to lead his team into Saturday’s action thanks to a new lap record around the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit. The Japanese rider’s 1:33.690 beat Aaron Kanet (Fantic Racing) by 0.057s, while Tony Arbolino (Elf Mark VDS Racing Team) was 0.163s off the top.
– Fermin Aldeuger (Beta Tools Speedup) showed some strong pace to claim Day 1 P4 and was placed less than two tenths behind Boscoscuro rider Ogura.
– 2022 Indonesia GP race winner Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) made his Friday debut with a P5 finish in Practice 1.
– Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) and the impressive Senna Agius (Leaky Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) set perfect lap times to finish P6 and P7 respectively, while title-chasing Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) and Emilia-Romagna GP winner Celestino Vitetti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) have work to do on Saturday morning from P21 and P23.
Who will be the top 14 at the end of practice 2? Meet at 09:25 before qualifying at Mandalika at 13:45.
Veijer fastest, Alonso P13 on day 1
Moto3™ has landed at the Pertamina Mandalica International Circuit, with Colin Wager (Leaky Molly Husqvarna Intact GP) topping the standings after an impressive Friday. The Dutchman obliterated the lap record by 1:37s, giving him a 0.154 advantage over the field. Adrian Fernandez (Tiger Racing) continued his impressive recent form in second, ahead of David Almansa (Kopron Rivacold Snipers Team) who claimed a strong P3 after close to 20 laps in Practice 1.
– It was an interesting start to the weekend, with several riders clashing in the day’s pit session and championship leader David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) in turn 4 – rider OK but sitting out after 1 hour of practice. P13, however, is two positions ahead of key rival Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3).
– Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) slipped under the lap record early in the afternoon before Vejer took top spot – taking the battle to Honda after a famous day for the Japanese factory. At the end of the race, four Hondas Fernandez, Almansa, team mate Matteo Bertele and Lunetta completed the front runners.
– Stefano Nepa (LEVELUP – MTA), Round 12 winner Jose Antonio Ruda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had a strong day to finish seventh. Angel Piquerras (Tiger Racing) took eighth on his first visit to the track after finishing the first session. Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) and Leaky Molly Husqvarna Intact GP Tatsuki Suzuki completed the top ten.
Can Alonso move forward on Saturday? Tune in for P2 at 8:40 (UTC+8) before qualifying from 12:50 to find out!
