Nakagami leads first session at Termas de Rio Hondo

After letting their Moto2 and Moto3 counterparts launch hostilities on Friday morning (and clean a very dusty track), the drivers MotoGP finally entered the track at midday, especially those whose bikes were still missing yesterday evening like Enea Bastianini, championship leader. 

Several teams received their equipment in the middle of the night and were finally able to get to work in order to be ready for the first free practice session, which was led by a certain Takaaki Nakagami. 

An enormous effort and a very long night from everyone has brought us to this moment 💪

Tires are on the tarmac and we're about ready to go racing 🔥#ArgentinaGP 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/nkjiGXFKyr

- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) April 2, 2022

Positive for Covid-19 at the start of the week, the Japanese was on course to skip this third meeting of the season. But a final test proved negative and the LCR team pilot jumped on a plane at the last minute to arrive during the night. And it was worth it since he set the best time of the session with a lap of 1'39.028. 

He came to dislodge fabio quartararo in his last flying lap. The Frenchman must for the moment be content with second place ahead of another Honda, that of Pol Espargaro, the Aprilia of Aleix Espargaro and the first Ducati in the hierarchy of Marco Bezzecchi. 

What a start that was! ️@ takanakagami30 goes from being out of the weekend to ending FP1 fastest! ️#ArgentinaGP 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/vt6duaOVh4

- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) April 2, 2022

Alex Rins, Miguel Oliveira, winner in Indonesia, Maverick Viñales, Brad Binder and Joan Mir completed the Top 10 of the session and are for the moment assured of reaching Q2. Among the losers (for the moment) is Enea Bastianini, ranked 11th ahead of world vice-champion Francesco Bagnaia. Johann Zarco is in 15th position ahead of Luca Marini and Jack Miller. 

Meet at 20:40 p.m. (Paris time) for the second (and final) MotoGP session, which will precede qualifying. 

FP1 ranking