Francesco Bagnaia and Ducati Lenovo Team top the practice timesheets in Jerez, Enea Bastianini is eighth.
• New outright lap record of the track for Pecco in 1:34.025, rewriting the one he himself had set back in 2022
The Ducati Lenovo Team had a promising first day of action at “Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto” for the Spanish Grand Prix, the fourth event of the 2024 season. Francesco Bagnaia was the quickest rider of the practice session courtesy of a 1:36.025 lap-time, setting the new outright lap record at Jerez. His teammate, Enea Bastianini, finished eighth, 0.455secs shy of the top.
Both riders had a change of pace across today’s two session, after finishing twelfth (Bagnaia) and thirteenth (Bastianini) in the morning free practice. Bagnaia made the difference in the latter stages of the afternoon session as he made his way from outside the top ten to second with nine minutes left, before logging the quickest time in his last attempt.
Bastianini, on the other hand, spent most of the afternoon session within the top ten, but was unable to put together the perfect lap in the final moments as he struggled a bit in sector three. Thanks to today’s result, both Pecco and Enea have secured the direct seed to Q2, which will get underway tomorrow at 11:15 local time (GMT +2). The fourth sprint race of the season (12 laps) will start at 15:00.
Francesco Bagnaia (#1 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st
“We focused a lot on what didn’t work well in the last races and we made plenty of data analysis. The team did a huge work before this Grand Prix and together we planned today’s schedule as if it was a test – and it worked. We managed to find a solution to most things with three runs left – the last with used tyres – and I’m very happy; we really needed it as I had missed this type of feeling. It still won’t be easy, even in this new situation, but at least we have the potential to be able to battle with much more confidence.”
Enea Bastianini (#23 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 8th
“It didn’t go as well as we’d hoped, and the reason is sector three. I need to try and make a step forward in this part of the track, even though this is an area where I’ve struggled also in the past – so there’s clearly something I’m doing wrong. I feel quite good in the rest of the track so I’m happy. I did a lot of laps with medium tyres while trying a few things and in the end, it wasn’t so bad. The soft tyre surely works better: I didn’t lap as much with it but I saw the pace other riders have and they’re clearly strong. Surely it’ll be the best option for the sprint race, but I’m not too sure it’ll be the same for the full-distance race. Tomorrow’s FP2 will be crucial to improve ahead of qualifying and the two races.”
