The Circuit de Barcelona has been transformed into a vibrant sea of orange, as Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta dominated the first day of the Catalan Grand Prix. Binder’s remarkable performance saw him clocking a blistering 1:38.141, shattering the previous lap record held by Alex Espargaró, who had set a time of 1:38.190 last year aboard his Aprilia. This marked Binder’s first session lead since the warm-up in Japan 2024, and he is clearly back with a vengeance.
Acosta, who had already made waves by leading FP1, finished a mere tenth of a second behind Binder, showcasing the intense competition at the top. Meanwhile, Alex Márquez secured a respectable third place, while the reigning champion, Marc Márquez, found himself in fourth, two-tenths off Binder’s pace. This session has set the stage for an electric weekend ahead, with tensions high as these top riders vie for supremacy.
Marco Bezzecchi, known for his fierce battles on the Ducati, wrapped up the day in fifth place, closely trailing both Márquez and Acosta. Enea Bastianini, the third KTM in the mix, occupied the sixth position despite a dramatic crash just 50 seconds from the end of practice, which saw his bike soar over the barriers at turn two. This incident was compounded by Johann Zarco’s crash at the same spot just minutes earlier, leading to yellow flags that halted the final attempts of several riders, including the Márquez brothers, who had hoped to capitalize on fresh soft tires.
Franco Morbidelli showed promise by finishing seventh, edging out Zarco, while Luca Marini pushed a Honda into the top ten, which was unexpectedly rounded off by Japanese rider Ai Ogura, who impressed everyone by securing a spot with the Trackhouse Aprilia.
However, not all riders fared so well. Fabio Quartararo, the former champion, struggled throughout the day and surprisingly sported a flashy pearl necklace. He ended up outside the direct Q2 qualification, as did Miguel Oliveira, who managed to outpace Joan Mir’s Honda, finishing 13th. Fermín Aldeguer emerged as the fourth Ducati on the timing sheets but will have to navigate Q1 to secure a spot in the next round, along with Fabio Di Giannantonio, who finished 17th. A baffling performance from Pecco Bagnaia saw him languishing in 21st place, over a second behind Binder, while his former championship rival Jorge Martín could only manage 18th, leaving him to face the challenging Q1 once more.
Maverick Viñales, who had shown potential earlier in FP1, faced setbacks due to ongoing physical issues with his left shoulder, which was operated on just two months ago. His situation remains uncertain as he prepares for another medical evaluation this afternoon to determine if he can continue competing this weekend.
As the excitement builds for the remainder of the Catalan Grand Prix, fans are left on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating which rider will rise to the occasion and seize the glory on race day.
