What went on in first MotoGP practice at Misano

MotoGP championship leader Fabio Quartararo set the pace in the opening practice session of the weekend at Misano.

Key moments:

> Quartararo quickest by two tenths
> Ducati tester Pirro shines
> Six Ducatis in top 10

Quartararo spent virtually the entire session either on top or at least towards the sharp end of the timing screens, and underlined his form with a last-gasp 1m32.313s to make sure of first place.

It put him two tenths clear of his nearest rival, the factory Ducati of KTM-bound Jack Miller.

Ducati’s World Superbike-liveried wildcard entry was third in the hands of the impressive Michele Pirro, Ducati’s tester even spending a chunk of the session in first place.

Test rider, wild card, Ducati's do-it-all man! 😎@PirroRider goes to the top! 👏#SanMarinoGP 🇸🇲 pic.twitter.com/7h5ve6EkRW

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 2, 2022

Quartararo’s nearest rival Aleix Espargaro moved up to fourth at the chequered flag, 0.005s behind Pirro and 0.008s ahead of his Aprilia team-mate Maverick Vinales.

Third title hopeful Francesco Bagnaia made it three Ducatis in the top six, ahead of his 2023 team-mate Enea Bastianini and the lead Suzuki – that of Alex Rins.

Bagnaia, however, is under investigation for getting right in the way of Alex Marquez (LCR Honda) and Bastianini late on.

Rins’s regular team-mate Joan Mir is missing Misano through injury, with 31-year-old Kazuki Watanabe making his MotoGP debut as his stand-in. Watanabe was five seconds off the pace in FP1.

RNF Yamaha veteran Andrea Dovizioso was 16th, the second-best Yamaha behind Quartararo, to begin his farewell MotoGP weekend.

Practice 1 Results