More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Tulovic vs Torres: duo split by half a tenth on Day 1

The first taste of Barcelona for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup sees the German come out on top

Friday, 04 June 2021

Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing) duelled home hero Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) for top spot on Day 1 of Round 3 of the 2021 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup, and the German came out on top by half a tenth. Behind the two, there was a slightly bigger gap of a few tenths back to MotoE™ rookie Yonny Hernandez (Octo Pramac MotoE) as the Colombian impressed to complete the top three.

The fastest top speed in MotoE™ history was also set at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya. The previous best was a 249.1 km/hr from Valencia 2019, but that was bettered in FP1 in Barcelona as Dominique Aegerter did 262.1 km/hr. And in the afternoon it was broken again, with Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE’s Andrea Mantovani registering 262.7km/hr.

FP1

The grid took a few minutes to head out, but when they did it was Aegerter fastest first, before Hernandez took over mid-session for a good chunk of time, the Medellin native impressive from the off. By the end, Le Mans winner Eric Granado (ONE Energy Racing) hit back to go quickest, with Torres denying him once but the Brazilian returned the favour to end the session fastest by a tenth and a half, ahead of Torres, Tulovic and Hernandez. Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) completed the top five.

One rider seemingly out of place by the end was Aegerter, as the Swiss rider slipped down to P13. There was one technical problem for Xavi Cardelus (Avintia Esponsorama Racing), but the Andorran was able to rejoin. No riders crashed.

FP2

The same familiar names showed their speed in FP2, with Tulovic coming out on top with his 1:50.808 and no one able to depose him by the end of play. Torres tried and got close, 0.049 the deficit, and Hernandez impressed once again to take third in FP2.

Granado was fourth fastest and the afternoon saw a few on the grid waiting to get a guided tour of the circuit from the Brazilian, waiting for him to head out first – but the tail was soon dropped as the number 51 headed through pit lane next time round. Fermin Aldeguer (Openbank Aspar Team) moved up one place in the afternoon to complete the top five in the session.

Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) had a small crash at Turn 5, but rider OK and rejoining.

Combined timesheets

The top three from FP2 lead the way: Tulovic, Torres, Hernandez, with Granado in fourth – as he was in the afternoon – but by virtue of a marginally quicker FP1 best. Aldeguer completed the top five, just pipping Aegerter to it as the Swiss rider improved in the afternoon.

Rookie Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) was seventh by the end of play, with points leader Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE) having a quieter start to the weekend in P8, sure to be looking for a lot more on Saturday. Casadei likewise in P9, with Cardelus completing the top ten.

Tune in for E-Pole on Saturday from 16:10 (GMT +2) as the grid gets decided, before the lights go out for the race at 16:00 on Sunday.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Fernandez vs Fernandez: duel for Day 1 honours decided by 0.016

Raul Fernandez fastest from Augusto Fernandez after Red Bull KTM Ajo and Elf Marc VDS Racing Team take over on Day 1

The Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya begins with a familiar name on top in Moto2™: Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo). The rookie was fastest on Friday ahead of a resurgent Augusto Fernandez, with the number 37’s Elf Marc VDS Racing teammate Sam Lowes completing the top three. Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was fourth as the two teams duelled for Day 1 honours.

FP1

The morning belonged to Elf Marc VDS Racing Team as they locked out at the top in the intermediate class. Augusto Fernandez headed teammate Sam Lowes by a tenth and a half, with man of the moment Gardner just 0.003 further back in third place. His teammate, rookie Raul Fernandez, ended FP1 just 0.048 off the Aussie, with Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) completing the top five.

Keminth Kubo ( VR46 Master Camp Team) was the only faller, rider ok. Barry Baltus (NTS RW Racing GP) didn’t crash, but the Belgian did put in one of the greatest saves of the season so far.

FP2

Raul Fernandez struck back in the afternoon, taking to the top late on and deposing teammate Gardner after the Australian led the session for the majority. Lowes and Augusto Fernandez took third and fourth, respectively, with Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) fifth quickest on home turf.

Augusto Fernandez crashed and rejoined, as did Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and injury replacement Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors Speed Up). Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) and wildcard Piotr Biesiekirski (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Euvic) were also fallers in the afternoon.

Barry Baltus did take a tumble at Turn 4 in the afternoon, and headed for the medical centre for a check up.

Combined timesheets

Raul Fernandez’ FP2 best puts him top from Augusto Fernandez’ FP1 time, with 0.016 between the two. Lowes is in third ahead of Gardner, with Bezzecchi’s FP1 fastest taking the last place in the top five.

Vierge is sixth ahead of a good showing from Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40), with Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), rookie Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team) completing the top ten on the combined times.

As it stands, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Marcos Ramirez (American Racing) complete the names who stand to move through to Q2, with FP3 deciding it with a final shuffle on Saturday.

Tune in for that, before Moto2™ qualifying from 15:10 (GMT +2)!

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Zarco and Morbidelli split by just 0.021 in Barcelona

Action opens at Catalunya with two Independent Team riders on top, Quartararo on the chase… and fans back in the stands to enjoy the show!

Friday, 04 June 2021

By the end of play on Friday at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, it’s Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) leading the way on the combined timesheets with a 1:39.235, but the Frenchman has some close company from Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) as the Italian end the day just 0.021 in arrears. Last year’s winner and Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) completes the top three, a tenth and a half down.

Another key headline from the day was the return of fans to the grandstands. The event will be held with a maximum of 24,000 fans per day allowed in – 20% capacity – and the riders made sure to slow down and greet the crowd on the way back into pitlane.

FP1

The morning began with Morbidelli enjoying a similar gap to the top, the Italian opening the weekend only 0.024 in arrears, but it was to Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) in FP1. The Aprilia man hit back late to take over, with Morbidelli having otherwise led the majority of the session.

0.373 was the gap back to Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) in third as he pipped Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), new crew chief alongside him, by just 0.002. Zarco, to begin the weekend, completed the top five – again by mere hundredths. Quartararo, Mugello podium finisher Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), reigning Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed the top ten as action began, with no crashes in the session.

FP2

The afternoon saw Morbidelli rise to the top early too, the Italian leading the way for half an hour mid-session before Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) took over. Next Zarco struck, Morbidelli hit back and finally, the French Pramac Racing rider nipped back into P1 by thousandths to end the session – and day – fastest.

Quartararo took third from Binder, and Bagnaia moved up from P10 in FP1 to P5 in the afternoon. Viñales and Miller were next up, with rookie Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) putting in an impressive day at the office to take eighth. Aleix Espargaro was just six thousandths further back, and the gap to Pol Espargaro in P10? Zero. The two brothers from Granollers, which is right next to the track, set identical best laps.

Combined timesheets
All but one improved in the afternoon, so it’s Zarco, Morbidelli, Quartararo in the top three. Binder puts KTM in fourth as the Austrian factory continue their recent resurgence, with Bagnaia completing the top five. Viñales, Miller, Bastianini, Aleix and Pol Espargaro complete the top ten.

That leaves Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) as the first looking to move forward in FP3 as the Japanese rider ends Friday in 11th, ahead of Danilo Petrucci (Red Bull KTM Tech3) as the Italian put in a solid performance ahead of Tech3 expecting to receive the new KTM chassis – possibly and/or probably – for the post-race test on Monday. Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) had a solid day in P13 despite a run off at Turn 4, able to rejoin with no big drama, with Oliveira shuffled down to P14. The Portuguese rider seems a likely threat for a move up the timesheets in FP3…

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was fifteenth, ahead of Mir as the reigning Champion plummeted down the order in the afternoon. Still, there’s plenty of time left to attack for Q2 on Saturday morning after he suffered a problem that denied him a full time attack on Friday.

The only rider who didn’t improve was Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) as the Spaniard returns from injury.

FP3 begins at 9:55 (GMT +2) as the grid push for an automatic place in Q2. Qualifying will then decide the grid from 14:10, with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya sure to deliver another show. Can Morbidelli do it again? We’ll find out on Saturday!