The 2025 MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix at Barcelona continues on Saturday with qualifying and the sprint.
KTM topped Friday's practice sessions, with Brad Binder leading a 1-2 ahead of Pedro Acosta. It continued KTM's recent upwards trend since introducing updates to the RC16 in Austria.
Binder hadn't topped an official session since Japan last year prior to Friday at Barcelona and looks like he has finally figured out how to get the best out of the bike in time attack trim.
KTM also showed strong race pace with Binder, Acosta and Enea Bastianini, and starts Saturday as a legitimate Ducati challenger.
Alex Marquez led the Ducati charge in third at the end of practice, with championship leader Marc Marquez fourth. Both looked strong on race pace too, with Alex Marquez currently emerging as the best of the field.
But it was a disaster for last year's double Barcelona winner Pecco Bagnaia, who was left completely lost as to what he can do on his GP25 after failing to move out into the top 20 in either session on Friday.
2025 MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix: Saturday
Qualifying - 9:50am BST
Sprint - 2pm BST
Honda's Joan Mir has been handed a three-place grid penalty for Sunday's grand prix.
He will start as he qualified in 17th for this afternoon's sprint.
Full story: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1081080/1/joan-mir-penalised-after-catalunya-motogp-qualifying
Starting grid for the 2025 MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix:
Read the full qualifying report from the 2025 MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix below:
Alex Marquez has a first pole of the 2025 season ahead of Fabio Quartararo and Marc Marquez!
Marc Marquez had a big moment at Turn 5 on his fina lap.
But it goes away from Marc Marquez in sector two.
Quartararo will be second at best as he takes the flag. Marc Marquez is flying on this final lap.
Chequered flag is out.
Quartararo goes into second with a 1m37.803s.
Alex Marquez goes pole with a 1m37.536s, drags Marc Marquez to second but is 0.409s clears of him!
But that lap has been cancelled by the looks of it.
Acosta goes top with a new lap record of 1m37.840s.
Marc has now hooked onto the back of Alex.
Morbidelli is being told by VR46 that he is being followed by Morbidelli, who is currently quicker than him in this session.
Everyone appears to be looking for Alex Marquez. Fabio Quartararo is the last one out of pitlane after a good long look at the laptops in the back of the Yamaha garage.
Quite aptly, the late Ozzy Osbourne's Crazy Train is blaring over the Barcelona PA as the field heads out of pitlane for their final runs.
Five minutes to go in Q2.
Marc Marquez doesn't look too happy with things as he comes back to the box. He's 0.352s off the pace.
Alex Marquez said yesterday that he was comfortable on his GP24 but felt more work needed to be done to turn better in the fast corners. Looks like that has been achieved at this stage.
So, the order is with eight minutes to go:
Alex Marquez responds, though, with a 1m37.914s. Just 0.054s in it!
Marc Marquez up to fifth on the factory Ducati as Quartararo sets a 1m37.968s!
Alex Marquez is now fastest with a 1m37.984s.
Pedro Acosta sets the early pace with a 1m38.147s from Zarco and Di Giannantonio.
The Honda has a big top speed deficit. But Johann Zarco has used Marc Marquez for a tow down the main straight and then mugged him at Turn 1 with a hard move.
Brad Binder has an issue with one of his bikes. So, he has to take part in this session on his second machine.
That may well be his pole hopes gone already.
