Misano Test pacesetter picked up where he left off to lead Marquez on Friday morningFabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) set a 1:33.153 in the opening MotoGP Free Practice session of the weekend at the GP Octo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, the Frenchman led Championship leader Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) by 0.376 as Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) completed the top three.
Sunny conditions greeted the premier class riders for FP1, and it was both Quartararo and Marquez who sat at the top of the timesheets from the off. Eventually, the rookie sensation was able to take first session honours by a considerable margin, despite a late scare at the fast right-hand kink, with Viñales just 0.070 off the number 93 of Marquez. Ducati Team test rider Michele Pirro – a master around Misano – was the leading Desmosedici rider in fourth, with Aleix Espargaro having a great opening session on his Aprilia Racing Team Gresini machine to grab a top-five spot. Younger brother Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) made it five manufacturers in the top six.
Espargaro’s teammate Andrea Iannone crashed midway through the session – rider is fine.
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