Espana MotoGP Free Practice 1 results

In the first practise session for the Spanish MotoGP at Jerez, Joan Mir leads a Suzuki one-two, with Alex Marquez (LCR Honda), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia), and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Yamaha) rounding out the top five.

Quartararo was quickly in front of the timesheets, riding in clear sunshine but with some moisture on the track due to overnight rain, but he lost the rear of his M1 around the penultimate circuit (possibly due to a damp spot) and was flicked from his M1.

After being hit in a sensitive region, the Frenchman was able to laugh about it when he finally returned to the Monster Yamaha garage halfway through the race. Quartararo, who was tied for the world championship lead with Alex Rins after winning in Portimao last Sunday, stayed on top until Pol Espargaro put Repsol Honda on the front row with 18 minutes to go, with teammate Marc Marquez in third.

Alex Marquez, who briefly took the lead in the final minute before Mir replied, had no such problems. Rins, a teammate, saved his best for the final lap, finishing second. This weekend, factory test riders Stefan Bradl (Honda) and Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia) will compete in a wild-card card event ahead of Monday’s official test.

After Aleix Espargaro’s third position in Portimao, Aprilia will forfeit technical allowances if the RS-GP finishes on the podium again. Raul Fernandez of Tech3 KTM has been declared unfit for the Jerez race after suffering a right-hand injury in qualifying last Sunday