Maverick Vinales delivered an impressive performance to top the final practice for the Solidarity Barcelona MotoGP 2024, held at the Circuit de Catalunya.
The Aprilia rider topped the charts with a time of 1:40.208, leading a competitive field as riders experimented with various tire options under cool morning conditions. The session was critical for all riders as they prepared for the season finale, with the battle heating up ahead of qualifying.
The final practice session for the Solidarity Barcelona MotoGP 2024 took place on a crisp morning with temperatures around 12 degrees Celsius, prompting teams to carefully select their tire compounds.
Riders had access to an expanded range of tyres, including soft, medium, and hard rears. This variety allowed teams to assess tyre performance and durability ahead of the race day.
Maverick Vinales set the early pace and proceeded to control the timesheets after completing five fast laps in total during the session, demonstrating not just speed but also consistency as he navigated the challenging circuit.
Following Viñales in second place was Prima Pramac’s Franco Morbidelli who finished just 0.108 seconds behind marking the first Ducati. Morbidelli’s performance indicated a strong showing as he aimed to capitalize on any mistakes from his rivals.
Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez rounded out the top three, clocking in at 0.128 seconds off Viñales’ pace. This trio set a competitive tone for the session, with each rider pushing their machines to extract maximum performance.
Raul Fernandez and Pedro Acosta followed closely behind in fourth and fifth positions respectively, both representing Trackhouse Aprilia and GASGAS Tech3 teams. Their performances were noteworthy as they continued to develop their skills and machinery in preparation for future seasons.
Red Bull KTM’s Jack Miller secured sixth place while Marc Marquez finished seventh on the sister Gresini Ducati machine. Marquez’s presence in the top ranks underscored his ongoing adaptation to the Ducati platform after years with Honda.
Aleix Espargaro marked the third Aprilia in eighth ahead of KTM’s Brad Binder in ninth while LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami rounded out the top ten. Nakagami’s performance was particularly significant as he is set to retire from full-time racing after this season, making every lap count as he bids farewell to the sport he loves.
However, the final practice for Solidarity Barcelona MotoGP 2024 saw championship contenders Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin struggle. Both riders went slightly below their usual standards, finishing in 11th and 12th places respectively.
Bagnaia’s time was just 0.446 seconds off Maverick Vinales’ benchmark while Martin trailed by 0.456 seconds. Despite this setback, both riders remained within striking distance of the top times, indicating that they could still be serious contenders during qualifying and the race itself.
VR46 Ducati’s Marco Bezzecchi was 13th ahead of Monster Yamaha duo Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins who took 14th and 15th respectively. Miguel Oliveira was 16th on his return to action for his final weekend at Trackhouse as Enea Bastianini was down in 17th for Ducati.
Johann Zarco led a trio of Hondas in 18th, completing the session narrowly clear of Luca Marini and Joan Mir on the factory machines. Augusto Fernandez was 21st in his last practice session as a full-time rider ahead of stand-in rider Michele Pirro in 22nd as Stefan Bradl completed the standings in 23rd.
As the the final practice for Solidarity Barcelona MotoGP 2024 concluded, teams gathered data that would be crucial for fine-tuning their setups for qualifying later in the day.
The feedback from riders regarding tire wear and grip levels will inform strategic decisions about tire choices for both qualifying and the race itself.
