Espargaro gained each the dash and the grand prix at Barcelona final yr, and ended Friday for the 2024 occasion 0.072 seconds away from KTM’s Brad Binder after the South African suffered a pair of falls within the second session.
For the second spherical in succession, six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez must undergo the Q1 qualifying session after failing to do higher than twelfth in second follow.
Pedro Acosta was third on his Tech3 GasGas from reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia, whereas Jack Miller (KTM) and factors chief Jorge Martin (Pramac) rounded out the highest six.
Situations had brightened from the morning session for the hour-long second follow, with KTM’s Jack Miller setting the preliminary tempo at 1m40.153s.
Prime spot modified fingers a number of occasions over the opening 10 minutes, with Miller rising the very best of the lot with a 1m39.212s.
That will stand because the benchmark till the session clicked into its closing 20 minutes, as Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales moved barely clear with a 1m39.184s – which he subsequently improved to a 1m39.121s.
With quarter-hour to go, Espargaro fired in a 1m39.031s, although it was solely a second earlier than prime spot had modified fingers once more.
Pramac Ducati’s Martin dipped beneath the 1m39s bracket for the primary time this weekend with a 1m38.879s, which he bettered to a 1m38.793s.
Martin’s time went unbothered because the session wound down, although with three minutes to go Espargaro produced a brand new lap document at 1m38.562s to maneuver to the highest of the order.
That will be sufficient for the Spaniard to see out Friday at his dwelling grand prix quickest of all, whereas KTM’s Binder recovered to second late on after crashing each of his RC16s inside the primary 20 minutes of the session.
Acosta eased via to a direct Q2 qualifying spot in third, with Bagnaia, Miller and Martin rounding out the highest six.
Franco Morbidelli was seventh on the sister Pramac Ducati, with Ducati’s Enea Bastianini, Yamaha’s Alex Rins and Vinales securing the ultimate direct Q2 spots.
A crash late on at Flip 10 for Alex Marquez left him in eleventh, with Gresini team-mate and older brother Marc Marquez twelfth having been proper behind him on the time of his fall.
However even with out the yellow flag disruption on the finish of the session, Marc Marquez’s closing flying lap was not going to be ok to maneuver him into the highest 10.
Fabio Quartararo was one other faller within the second follow session and was 14th ultimately on his Yamaha, whereas prime Honda honours went to Johann Zarco of LCR as all HRC bikes occupied the underside of the timesheet.
HRC take a look at rider and wildcard Stefan Bradl didn’t take part attributable to sickness.
Catalan GP – Observe outcomes:
