Unlike Free Practice 1, MotoGP timed practice in Brazil, the session was held under dry conditions, but the track had some wet patches. Mixed conditions posed a challenge for the riders. With tricky conditions, teams opted to go out with slick tyres as the track dried.
Johann Zarco proved to be the most consistent under wet conditions, ahead of Marc Márquez and Jorge Martín. Surprisingly, Martín’s teammate, Marco Bezzecchi, struggled throughout the session and missed the direct pass to Q2.
Testing the Waters
Riders were ushered out on track to set the first times as soon as possible, as rain was coming. Meanwhile, Johann Zarco set the early benchmark with an impressive 1:22.266, showcasing his ability in complicated conditions. The fight at the top got tighter between Zarco, Marc Márquez, and Jorge Martín.
But the track proved unforgivable. Five minutes in, Brad Binder was the first rider to crash. Jack Miller was the second rider to crash, after losing the front, and the same happened to home rider and rookie, Diogo Moreira.
After the First Fast Laps
Once the first run of the session, riders went back to the garage. From the first run on this MotoGP practice, Zarco emerged as a serious contender for the lead, securing a direct Q2 entry for tomorrow’s Qualifying session.
Halfway through the session, Zarco led the grid ahead of Márquez, and Martín. Pedro Acosta, Topark Razgatlioglu, Fermín Aldeguer, Alex Márquez, Fabio Quartaro, and Francesco Bagnaia also secured a provisional spot, with Ai Ogura closing the top 10.
However, Marco Bezzecchi was the biggest surprise. As the session went on, the Italian struggled to find the pace, not getting close enough to the top 10. The Aprilia rider was two seconds off and sitting twentieth after the Run 2.
No Action Until the Very Last Minute
Bezzecchi is the first rider on track after Run 2. However, the track condition didn’t look better than when the timed practice started. Bezzecchi went out with slick tyres, contrary to his teammate Martín, on wet tyres.
With only Joan Mir, Márquez, Bagnaia, Ogura, Bezzecchi, Fabio Di Giannantonio, and Martín, the riders simulated a race start just to gather more data. The top 10 stayed the same: Zarco, Márquez, Martín, Acosta, Razgatlioglu, Aldeguer, Alex Márquez, Quartararo, Bagnaia, and Ogura.
As predicted, the weather during the Brazil Grand Prix will be a challenge and unreliable. For tomorrow, it is expected to be a wet Qualifying session, once again posing a challenge for the riders trying to secure the last two spots for Q2.