Aragon MotoGP, MotorLand - Free Practice (4) Results

* Rookie

Official Aragon MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1m 46.322s (2020)
Fastest race lap:
Franco Morbidelli ITA Yamaha 1m 48.089s (2020)

Miguel Oliveira backed up the factory KTM team's strong morning form by heading Free Practice 4 at the Aragon MotoGP, ahead of rookie Marco Bezzecchi.

VR46 rider Bezzecchi joked yesterday that he hoped to experience the tyre drop others were complaining about, after having consistent rear tyre performance, but very low grip throughout Friday.

But it was front grip that caused Bezzecchi's downfall, at Turn 2, in the closing minutes of the session. Pramac's Jorge Martin, fastest on Friday, then pulled off with a technical issue soon after.

After losing ground with eighth in the morning, world champion and title leader Fabio Quartararo was back at the sharp end with third and a very impressive race pace for Yamaha, just ahead of nearest title rival Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati).

Enea Bastianini was fifth for Gresini Ducati, followed by Aleix Espargaro's Aprilia and the Suzuki of Alex Rins.

After a big save and then a fall in FP3, Marc Marquez had a quiet session with 14th, running the Kalex aluminium swingarm.

Hard front and medium rear tyres were used by almost all riders in FP4, only Pol Espargaro (soft rear) and Takaaki Nakagami (medium front, hard rear) bucking the trend.

Qualifying 1, for those outside the top ten after third free practice, including Marc Marquez, Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales, will now get underway.

• Marc Marquez ‘happy with myself’, Kalex swingarm ‘not clear’
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• 2023 MotoGP World Championship - Final rider line-up

Francesco Bagnaia is seeking a 5th win in a row this weekend, as he returns to the scene of his debut MotoGP victory at Aragon last season.

But the big news is that Marc Marquez, the rider Bagnaia narrowly beat one year ago, will be returning to race action for the first time since Mugello in May, after which he underwent a fourth operation to improve mobility and reduce pain in his beleaguered right arm.

Reigning champion and title leader Fabio Quartararo faces what has proven to be one of his toughest circuits - a best of fifth in 2019 and only eighth last year - with a reduced 30 point lead over Bagnaia.

Aleix Espargaro – now pushed to third in the standings by Bagnaia’s rise - could be another one to watch, with Aragon traditionally one of his best events of the season on the Aprilia.

Team-mate Maverick Vinales is also on red-hot form, with RS-GP podiums in three of the last four rounds.

After missing Misano due to ankle injuries from Austria, Joan Mir rejoins Alex Rins at Suzuki.

With Andrea Dovizioso hanging up his leathers after Misano, triple MotoGP race winner and current Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow is taking over the RNF seat for the final six rounds of this season.

MotoGP Aragon weekend schedule (UK time)

Friday September 16

8am - Moto3 FP1

8.55am - MotoGP FP1

9.55am - Moto2 FP1

12.15pm - Moto3 FP2

1.10pm - MotoGP FP2

2.10pm - Moto2 FP2

Saturday September 17

8am - Moto3 FP3

8.55am - MotoGP FP3

9.55am - Moto2 FP3

11.35am - Moto3 Q1

12pm - Moto3 Q2

12.30pm - MotoGP FP4

1.10pm - MotoGP Q1

1.35pm - MotoGP Q2

2.10pm - Moto2 Q1

2.35pm - Moto2 Q2

Sunday September 18

8am - Moto3 warm-up

8.20am - Moto2 warm-up

8.40am - MotoGP warm-up

10am - Moto3 race

11.20am - Moto2 race

1pm - MotoGP race