Álex Márquez leads in Silverstone with record pace

With the embers of the Jorge Martín and Aprilia case still smouldering, the first day of practice at Silverstone began, where Honda confirmed its interest in the Spanish rider. "All the teams in the paddock are interested in a rider like Martín. If not, you're an idiot." The words of Honda's Team Principal, Alberto Puig, to the international signal, were clarified by assuring that the Japanese brand would not move until both parties resolve their particular dispute. "We will never try to get a rider under contract. That is not Honda's style. If Jorge is available, we will consider it," he added.

The sporting aspect gained ground as the bikes hit the track, and already in the first free practice on Friday, Marc Márquez marked his territory with a significant margin over his rivals. This only confirmed how quickly the Spaniard adapts to circuits, as he always dominates the first sessions at each Grand Prix. However, he ended that first practice with a technical problem on his Ducati, which prevented him from participating in the start practices held after FP1. It was a prelude to a Friday full of surprises for the current MotoGP leader.

In the afternoon practice, Márquez's situation quickly became complicated, with 49 minutes still remaining in the session, due to a fall at turn 3 that he tried to save as he has done many times but found impossible. It was his fourth tumble of the season, but it had no consequences. The Spaniard was able to return to the box and go back out on track, but he no longer had the explosiveness from the start of the day. He had another scare that almost brought him down again, on a circuit that has historically been challenging for him and where he hasn't won since 2014.

The second session of the day, the afternoon practice, marks the boundary between those who qualify directly for Saturday's Q2, the top ten times, and those who have to go through Q1. Thus, it is divided into two parts, the first where the rhythm and setup of the bike are worked on; the final ten minutes where times are sought with soft tyres, in a rehearsal for Saturday's qualifying. It will be difficult to replicate both days because the sun reigning this Friday at Silverstone will disappear on Saturday, with forecasts of rain and strong gusts of wind.

In any case, some indications were seen of where things might head in this British GP, where there was much equality and many changes at the top of the timesheet in the final minutes of practice, which was not decided until the clock hit zero. When it seemed that Fabio Quartararo would end the day as leader, Álex Márquez emerged, with the clock at zero, to break the Silverstone circuit record and set it at 1'57.295, just 47 thousandths faster than the Frenchman.

Neither Álex's performance can surprise at this stage, as he is second in the championship, 22 points behind his brother, nor does Quartararo's form with Yamaha. This time, the improvement of the Japanese bike was confirmed by Australian Jack Miller in third position. Marc Márquez finished fourth, 360 thousandths off his brother's time, and Marco Bezzecchi was fifth with Aprilia, in a weekend where the performance of the Italian bike will be scrutinised.

It was more challenging than expected for Pecco Bagnaia, seventh behind his compatriot Di Giannantonio, but he achieved the goal of being in the top 10. There will also be a Honda, that of the Le Mans winner, Johann Zarco, and two other Spaniards, Álex Rins, also with Yamaha, and rookie Fermín Aldeguer, who knocked his compatriot Pedro Acosta into Q1. KTM was the loser on this Friday as it was the only brand not to get any of its riders directly into Q2.

Training sessions were also held in the smaller categories. In Moto2, total dominance by championship leader Manu González, who led both sessions and was almost half a second ahead of his closest pursuer, Australian Agius. It was a bad day for the other title contender, Valencian Arón Canet, who crashed in the final minutes of practice and did not set a time with the new tyre, so he will have to go through Q1. In Moto3, the Spaniards were also protagonists, with Álvaro Carpe and David Almansa at the top of the standings, while the leader of the smaller class, José Antonio Rueda, finished sixth.