Gresini Racing’s Enea Bastianini was back on top in FP2 having set an all-time lap record at the Le Mans Bugatti Circuit on Friday.
The Italian’s 1’31.148 final lap denied Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro by 0.202s with Suzuki’s Alex Rins continuing his stellar Friday form in third.
Rins was back in charge as the afternoon fired up. Espargaro and Marc Marquez training the Suzuki Ecstar before Fabio Quartararo arrived with the first 1’31 of FP2. Joan Mir claiming the first crash of the second session with a fast off at turn seven.
Brad Binder showcased improving form after a difficult morning for the KTM factory as he claimed second, from Pol Espargaro, after ten minutes on track. The elder Espargaro joining his brother for fourth moments later before Pecco Bagnaia bettered the trio on his way to second, just 0.053s adrift of the M1 out front.
Bastianini and Fabio di Giannantonio sat eight and ninth after the opening quarter of an hour, leaving the Gresini pair 13th and 15th respectively in the combined standings. Bagnaia sweeping to the top overall thanks to a 1’31.635 lap on his eighth effort.
Midsession improvements found Maverick Viñales up to seventh having circulated for the beginning of the session in the lower mid pack, while his FP1 time maintained his presence in Q2 contention, from ninth, as the second half began. Jack Miller claiming fourth, behind Quartararo and Aleix Espargaro, with Binder and Pol less than a tenth behind.
Pramac’s Jorge Martin continued to struggle with the GP22 from 13th in the session and 17th overall. His teammate Johann Zarco just behind in the afternoon action but holding the gateway to promotion thanks to a promoting morning showing.
Incredible off track control saw Zarco careering across the gravel at turns three and four, with Miller sliding out at turn 11 in a dramatic couple of minutes for the Ducati factory. The Frenchman recovering to set the third fastest lap of the afternoon with his twelfth attempt to sit him sixth overall. Darryn Binder the next to succumb to turn seven as the session counted down.
Miller had a late session diversion across the gravel as the final push fired up. Turn seven claiming Marco Bezzecchi’s Mooney VR46 with five minutes left to run as Espargaro set the pace on the Aprilia once again. 1’31.574 promoting the RS-GP to the top as Luca Marini then Alex Marquez crashed out at turns three and seven respectively.
Bastianini was on a flyer as the final minute clicked down, his initial hot lap cancelled before he returned the charge with a session topping 1’31.148 for a record-breaking all-time lap. The Italian crashing out seconds later at turn three’s Dunlop chicane.
The chequered flag saw Espargaro safe in second from an advancing Rins with Zarco and Bagnaia rounding out the top five. Franky Morbidelli hitting the deck in the closing seconds at turn ten having found eleventh the lap before. Teammate Quartararo completed the day sixth from Binder, Mir and Martin with Pol Espargaro’s FP1 time securing ninth in the combined times and Miller cut adrift by a mere 0.002s.
