Aleix Espargaró leads the free practice at the Indonesian Grand Prix

This morning, Spaniard Aleix Espargaró set the best time in the second round of free practice at the Indonesian Grand Prix, at the Mandalika circuit, including a crash.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
12 October 2023 Thursday 16:35
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Aleix Espargaró leads the free practice at the Indonesian Grand Prix

This morning, Spaniard Aleix Espargaró set the best time in the second round of free practice at the Indonesian Grand Prix, at the Mandalika circuit, including a crash. The Aprilia rider stopped the clock at 1m30s474, a time that earned him the lead of the session, overtaking his teammate Maverick Viñales and the Italian Marco Bezzecchi, third. The Ducati rider has been declared fit to compete this weekend, after suffering a fall this morning during FP1 and undergoing surgery five days ago on his right collarbone.

The combatants for the MotoGP world championship Jorge Martín and Pecco Bagnaia have finished fifth and sixteenth, respectively. The Spanish driver, who had been the fastest in the first free practice sessions, finished FP2 inside the top5, while the Italian was left out of the second direct classification. The distance between them is three points in the general classification: a difference so small that it could reverse the leadership of the competition this weekend.

Marc Márquez has obtained the sixth fastest time with his Honda RC. A motorcycle with which he will stop competing starting next year, after the signing of the '93' by Ducati (Gresini Racing) was announced this Thursday. For his part, his brother Alex had to abandon the Indonesian Grand Prix after suffering a fall in FP1 that further aggravated the pain in his ribs. Those that fractured during Q1 in India.

As a consequence, the youngest of the Márquez family did not compete in the last Grand Prix in Japan two weeks ago and will not be able to do so these days in Mandalika, even though the Gresini driver's intention was to compete in the Asian triplet.

Álex Rins also returns to the circuits, after receiving medical clearance to race in Indonesia. The Italians Enea Bastianini and Luca Marini also obtained it. The Spanish Honda rider tested himself on the bike in the first free practice session: a practice session in which he could not keep up with the pace and from which he ended up withdrawing. Rins has been out of competition for four months due to a double fracture of the tibia and fibula.