Fabio Quartararo tops Catalunya MotoGP warm-up despite crash

Fabio Quartararo tops the timesheets in morning warm-up ahead of the 2020 Catalunya MotoGP  despite a tip off at Turn 4
Fabio Quartararo, Calatunya MotoGP, 26 September 2020
Fabio Quartararo, Calatunya MotoGP, 26 September 2020

2020 Catalunya MotoGP - Warm-up Results

Fabio Quartararo got his Catalunya MotoGP race day off to a mixed start by topping morning warm-up at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya despite suffering a low speed tip off.

The Frenchman, who starts on the front row later this afternoon, got out of shape coming into Turn 4 before running across the gravel trap and dropping the Petronas SRT Yamaha just short of the barrier without consequence.

Already with the fastest lap time by this stage, Quartararo remounted and continue on without pitting, his 1m 40.312secs giving him the edge of second place man Takaaki Nakagami.

The Japanese rider gained a boost for Honda ahead of starting 11th on the LCR machine, while Valentino Rossi also looks good for a podium challenge today with an encouraging run to third position. 

Rossi’s 2021 MotoGP team-mate and today’s pole sitter Franco Morbidelli was fourth quickest on the second of the PSRT Yamahas, ahead of Cal Crutchlow, top Suzuki rider Joan Mir and Maverick Vinnales, while Johann Zarco led the way for Ducati from stablemate Pecco Bagnaia.

Rounding out the top ten was the best of the Aprilia duo in Aleix Espargaro, heading off Danilo Petrucci in 11th and Alex Marquez in 12th.

Elsewhere, KTM endured a modest start to the day with Brad Binder suffering an almost identical tip off as Quartararo, though he still wound up the fastest of the RC16 quartet in 13th.

Meanwhile, things looked to be no better for championship leader Andrea Dovizioso - who starts 17th this afternoon - who could onlty manage 14th best.

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