Àlex Márquez stands up to pressure from the KTMs at the CatalanGP

The 35th edition of the Monster Energy Grand Prix of Catalonia in MotoGP officially got underway today with the first day of practice at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. It was a day that broadened the field of contenders who could be in the running for victory tomorrow and on Sunday.

The Practice session has spoken: the KTMs are looking to join the podium party this weekend. A brilliant Pedro Acosta claimed the fastest lap, clocking a time of 1:38.710. Although the credit is shared, as there was a gap of just 79 thousandths of a second between first and fifth place.

Àlex Márquez was the second in contention. The BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP rider was largely on his own, as there were no other Ducatis until sixth place, occupied by Fabio di Giannantonio.

Brad Binder, who finished third on the day, edged out Raúl Fernández, the highest-placed Aprilia rider, by just eight thousandths of a second. On a less positive note, Jorge Martín suffered crashes in both sessions (FP1 and Practice), with no apparent physical consequences, though his morale has taken a knock. The Madrid-born rider will have to go through Qualifying 1 for the first time this season to secure a place in the top 12 on the starting grid.

The battle between the manufacturers was intriguing, with a clear tie between the brands demonstrating the parity at the Circuit, with two bikes in the top 10 from KTM, Aprilia, Ducati, Honda and Yamaha. Johann Zarco dominated the top 5 with the first Honda, whilst Joan Mir represented the Japanese side from eighth place.

World Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi finished seventh, securing the second Aprilia a direct place in Q2. Jack Miller and Fabio Quartararo have just managed to squeeze into this group of frontrunners with the two Yamahas – the satellite and the factory bike.

As well as Martín, other notable riders who will have to go through the first qualifying session include Enea Bastianini, Pecco Bagnaia and Ai Ogura, amongst others. Maverick Viñales, on his return from a shoulder injury, finished in 20th place. Tomorrow, the riders in the premier class will have to reset their approach to riding in conditions somewhat different from today’s, with more sunshine and slightly higher temperatures. We will have to wait and see whether this is reflected in the results or whether, on the contrary, today’s favourites remain at the front tomorrow.

Vietti and Agius take the lead in Moto2™

Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team) and Senna Agius (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) have dominated the top positions on this first day of testing at the CatalanGP. Both managed to set the fastest times in both the first free practice session and the Practice session, demonstrating that they have excellent pace. Proof of this was Vietti’s lap of 1:41.611, a time that came very close to the record of 1:41.549 set by Daniel Holgado in last year’s race.

It is clear that both Vietti and Agius have their sights set on the championship battle, a fight in which they remain very much in contention with their fourth and third places respectively. Alonso López (ITALJET Gresini Moto2), the closest challenger to these two riders, was very close to the leaders’ pace, just 26 thousandths of a second behind Agius.

Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Impulse Aspar Team) and Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) rounded out the top 5 in today’s official practice session, followed by Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team) and the championship leader, Manuel González (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP). The list of top performers was rounded off by Filip Salac, Collin Veijer, Ayumu Sasaki, Aron Canet, Deniz Öncu, Alberto Fernández and Daniel Muñoz.

Plenty of questions in Moto3™

The World Championship’s junior class has had a Practice session with plenty to analyse. On the one hand, the championship leaders have shown better pace than their rivals, thereby securing their direct passage to Q2. Adrián Fernández (Leopard Racing), Valentín Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Máximo Quiles (CF Moto) are among the names in this group of 14 riders.

However, the absence of Álvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), third in the standings, and Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia), fifth in the table, is surprising. Also noteworthy is the fastest lap set by Hakim Danish (Aeon Credit – MT Helmets – MSI), who managed to stop the clock at 1:46.943. The Malaysian rider has only competed in eight races in the series so far, but that hasn’t stopped him from emerging as the fastest rider of the day. There is no doubt that Danish could well make a name for himself in the category.

These were the riders who qualified directly for the race, from 1st to 14th: Hakim Danish, Brian Uriarte, Adrián Fernández, David Almansa, Valentín Perrone, Matteo Bertelle, Máximo Quiles, Ryusei Yamanaka, Marco Morelli, Jesús Ríos, Eddie O’Shea, Rico Salmela, Joel Esteban and Joel Kelso.

The MotoGP Fan Fest Barcelona shines on its debut

The first edition of the MotoGP Fan Fest Barcelona has come to a close, exceeding all expectations and establishing itself as a resounding success in terms of attendance, atmosphere and connection with the city.

Over two days packed with excitement, more than 30,000 people flocked to Plaça de Catalunya to experience the world of MotoGP™ up close, at an event designed for all ages that brought the passion for motorcycling to the heart of Barcelona.

Immersive experiences, interactive activities, meet-and-greets with riders, entertainment and a vibrant atmosphere transformed one of the city’s most iconic spaces into a major meeting point for fans and the general public, demonstrating the sport’s enormous appeal beyond the racetracks.

With this successful debut, the MotoGP Fan Fest reinforces its commitment to bringing motorcycling to new audiences and positions Barcelona as a benchmark for enjoying the passion for motorsport right in the city centre.

A sustainable event

Under the 3C management philosophy (Conscience, Commitment and Consistency), which integrates social, economic and environmental aspects, the Circuit works to achieve responsible activity in its mission ‘Driving for a better future’, within the framework of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for SDG.

This GP, which is certified to ISO 20121 and ISO 14001 standards, is once again proud to be held at Catalonia’s largest public self-consumption photovoltaic facility. The Catalan Circuit has a total of 2,319 solar panels that generate 50% of the energy consumed.

Other promoted actions are the rental of low-emission generators, the donation of surplus food, the offer of locally sourced and ecological products, the presence of drinking water sources in the public areas, the improvement of the biodiversity of the green areas, the collaboration with companies with social value, the valorisation and recycling of waste, the promotion of sustainable mobility, the use of the circular economy and many more.

Tickets available at www.circuitcat.com