Luca Marini fastest in second practice as Brad Binder loses top ten time

Luca Marini pipped Jorge Martin to top spot during the second Friday practice at the Indian MotoGP.

22 Sep 2023

After a difficult free practice one where he finished 16th, Jack Miller began the extended Practice two session by losing the front-end of his KTM.

Fastest in FP1, Marco Bezzecchi made another hot start to the afternoon session as he set the pace ahead of double race winner at Misano, Jorge Martin.

Racing then began to take place as Bezzecchi made a double overtake on Marc Marquez and Augusto Fernandez at turn one, before Marquez managed to cut back underneath the Italian.

But Marquez wasn’t ahead for long as he pulled to the outside of turn three in order to allow Bezzecchi through.

Pushing his luck, Bezzecchi then ran off circuit and through the gravel at turn one at the start of his next lap.

While that was happening Aleix Espargaro put his factory Aprilia top of the standings by just under a tenth.

The leaderboard then changed once again as Martin, who was directly behind Espargaro on circuit, improved the overall time by two tenths.

Also finding it hard to stop his machine in time for turn one, Espargaro was the next rider to run off the track.

Over three tenths clear of sector one, Bezzecchi lost a bit of time as the lap developed although it didn’t stop him from breaking into the 1m 45s barrier.

Practice two saw a slow start for championship leader Francesco Bagnaia, however, the world champion found his form with half the session remaining as he P4.

Martin then went back to the top of the leaderboard with the fastest time of the day, before Luca Marini moved up to second.

The Italian’s session then quickly took a turn for the worse however, as he crashed at turn one.

Looking set to go from 12th to first as time attacks began with 20 minutes remaining, Franco Morbidelli instead went third at the end of his first flying lap.

Vinales was the next rider who threatened the top time, but unlike Morbidelli, the Aprilia rider kept hold of his advantage as he went three tenths clear.

But predictably, Vinales then ran wide at turn one which many riders did after setting their fastest lap.

Determined to finish fastest once again, Bezzecchi went quickest by over a tenth from Vinales before Fabio Quartararo put his factory Yamaha in second place.

A first-ever 1m 44s lap was the set by Martin who went four tenths clear of Bezzecchi. Following the Italian closely, M. Marquez used the tow to his advantage as he went second.

Martin’s gap was then cut to almost nothing as A. Espargaro once again put his Aprilia in contention.

Marini then went top as Brad Binder jumped up to fourth only for his lap to be deleted due to yellow flags.