2024 Catalunya Moto2, Barcelona - Friday Practice Results

Jorge Navarro was the surprising leader as the action drew to a close on Friday in Moto2 practice for the Catalan Grand Prix.

In for another wildcard appearance with Klint Forward Racing GP, the former regular in the championship arrived with plenty of laps under his belt at the Montmelo track, and had found the limit when he crashed in free practice.

Instantly near the top of the timesheets in the second session, the early leader came from another unusual source, replacement rider Daniel Munoz.

The #9 moved from fourth to first with a best of 1m 42.807s heading into the final four minutes. The lap held firm allowing Navarro to be provisional leader overnight.

His success for Forward eclipsed their regular riders, Alex Escrig and Xaver Artigas, who were the last two in both sessions.

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Joe Roberts was on a comeback mission, after working on his set up for American Racing he launched himself back into the top fourteen with a time which was good enough for first at the time, but ended up second best, just 0.208s slower.

The lap by Munoz held on for third for Pertamina Mandalika Gas Up, where he replaces the injured Bo Bendsneyder. Munoz was racing at the circuit just last week in the European Moto2 class.

Manuel Gonzalez had dethroned long time FP leader Jake Dixon with a new record lap, his 1m 42.860s the best lap of the day. The Gresini rider was fourth in the P1 timed session.

MV Conveyors Speed Up rider Fermin Aldeguer improved to fifth, with all the times close in the session. Aron Canet was fractionally slower in sixth for Fantic Racing, as he continues to ride while recovering from his injuries.

Flip Salac placed seventh in an better performance from the Elf Marc VDS rider.

Championship leader Sergio Garcia was eighth fastest, ahead of Boscoscuro rider Alonso Lopez in ninth. Tony Arbolino was only just over half a second off the lead time, but that was only good enough for tenth for Elf Marc VDS.

Albert Arenas made a large leap forward from his FP placing for eleventh on the second Gresini bike, with Ai Ogura an incredibly close twelfth in the tight session for Idemitsu Honda Team Asia.

The final two places in the provisional top 14 to go straight to Q2 were Senna Agius, the best of the rookies, in 13th for Liqui Moly Husqvarna GP and 14th placed Izan Guevara for CFMoto Inde Aspar.

Jeremy Alcoba had an extended stay in the pits in the first session, while Zonta van den Goorbergh had issues leaving and later crashed.

Matteo Pasini is also enjoying a one-time wildcard ride, with Speed Up. The Italian veteran was 15th overall after a fall. Xavi Cardelus also spilled off into the turn five gravel in P1.

Jake Dixon was third after the morning session and looked confident in the changes he had made with his Aspar team. The British rider, who won from pole in the Catalan race last season, was not able to make up the difference to his rivals in P1. Although still less than a second off the best time in the session, the #96 placed 17th, with work to do and the hope there will be no more brief showers - with one unusually arriving in the lunch break on Friday.