Tensions flared during the second practice session for the British Grand Prix as Ducati riders faced early challenges.
Enea Bastianini and Marco Bezzecchi were forced to return to the pits with smoking machines, leaving the Italian manufacturer scrambling to diagnose the issue. Meanwhile, the battle for the fastest lap unfolded.
Jorge Martin, building on his first-place finish in practice one, took the lead initially. But the championship leader, Francesco Bagnaia, wasn’t far behind, snatching the top spot with a blistering time.
Bastianini, seemingly unfazed by his earlier troubles, then surged ahead with an even faster lap. Yet, Aprilia had the final say in this early duel.
Maverick Vinales, showcasing the RS-GP’s potential, became the first rider to break the 1:59 barrier, putting Aprilia right in the hunt for pole position.
The latter stages of the session saw a flurry of changes at the top of the timesheets. Espargaro briefly eclipsed Vinales’ time before Bagnaia reclaimed the lead for Ducati. Di Giannantonio then enjoyed a short-lived stint at the summit until Martin regained control.
With the clock ticking down, Espargaro stunned the field with a remarkable lap to go quickest, only for Martin to respond with an even faster time to end the session on top.
Bagnaia and Bastianini completed the Ducati quartet in third and fourth, respectively, while Miller impressed for KTM to secure direct entry to Q2.
Vinales and Bezzecchi slipped down the order, joining Marquez in the final automatic qualification spot. A host of big names, including Morbidelli, Acosta, and Alex Marquez, will have to fight it out in Q1, alongside Quartararo and Zarco.
