Bagnaia strikes late in Barcelona practice to edge title rival Martin / Photo: Manaure Quintero - AFP
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Bagnaia strikes late in Barcelona practice to edge title rival Martin
Francesco Bagnaia struck the first psychological blow when he put up the fastest practice time Friday at the start of the final weekend of his MotoGP title showdown with Jorge Martin.
After a cautious morning session in Barcelona, when Takaaki Nakagami recorded the fastest lap for Honda in 1 minute 40.912 seconds, the times tumbled in the afternoon when all but one of the 23 riders were faster.
Spaniard Martin, who goes into the weekend with a 24-point lead over two-time defending champion Bagnaia, set a fastest lap with 15 minutes to go in the one-hour afternoon session.
Another Spaniard Maverick Vinales, on an Aprilia, went faster before Martin regained top spot with 10 minutes left.
Yet Martin, last season's runner up, seemed a little on edge, spending a long spell in the pits and then returning to the lane later for an animated discussion with his Pramac Ducati crew.
French veteran Johann Zarco took over top spot on his Honda LCR but with time expiring Italy's Bagnaia made his move on the factory Ducati.
He clocked 1:38.918 to edge out two other late attacks. Italian Marco Bezzecchi, was next 0.08 seconds back with Spaniard Aleix Espargaro, on an Aprilia Racing, was third 0.107sec adrift.
Martin had one last chance but made a mistake on a corner and slowed up.
Zarco held on to fourth with Martin fifth, 0.296sec slower than Bagnaia but sure of direct progress to the second qualifying session on Saturday when the grid positions for the sprint, when the Spaniard could seal the title, and main race will be settled.
Marc Marquez on Gresini Honda was eighth while Italian Enea Bastianini, one point behind the Spaniard in the battle for third overall, was tenth on a factory Ducati.
The race was due to take place in Valencia but had to be moved after the region suffered its worst floods in a generation which have killed more than 220 people.
The race was switched to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and has been dubbed the Solidarity GP to show support for the people of Valencia.
N.Baggi--IM
