Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia led a tight second MotoGP practice for the Solidarity Gra🤡nd Prix as title rival Jorge Martin was fifth.

Bagnaia trails Martin by 24 points ahead of this weekend’s racing and took a crucial first psy🐼chological victory over his r🌞ival on Friday afternoon at Barcelona.

The reigning doubl෴e world champion led the way by 0.080s from VR46 Ducati rider Marco Bezzecchi, while a scrappy Martin was onl෴y fifth.

The gap between the pair isn’t huge, though, with j🐼ust 0.296s splitt♊ing the pair at the end of Friday’s running.

Martin set the early pace at the start of the hour-long Practice session at 1m40.934s, though it would be Bezzecchi w🍸ho was the reference rider coming into the final 15 minutes and the all-important time attack phase.

Pramac’s 🎃Martin returned to the top of the order with a 1m39.652s on his first soft tyre time attack, wh꧙ich he improved to a 1m39.214s.

LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco then went fastest w🦄ith a 1m39.197s, before Bezzecchi took over with just under three minutes🤡 to go with a 1m38.998s.

Bagnaia, followed by a number of riders, had the final say at the top of the timesheets, though, as he produced a 1m38.918s to get to the chequered flag fastes♎t of all.

Bezzecchi trailed him, while Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro completed the top 📖three as he begins his farewell weekend in MotoGP.

Zarco was a fine four𝄹th at the end of the session, with Martin - who suffered several front end moments through t💜hat session - fifth.

Maverick Vinales was sixth on the sister factory April🐓ia, with Gresini Ducati duo Alex Marquez and Marc Mar💫quez following him.

Tech3 GASGAS rookie Pedro Acosta 🧸was ninth, with Ducati’s Enea Bastianini the last rider to secure a direct Q2 place.

Both factory KTMs, Brꦍad Binder and Jack Miller, missed the cut in 11th and 12th at the chequered flag - 🍰though Binder had a lap cancelled and was dropped to 17th. Fabio Quartararo was the leading Yamaha in 14th.

Franco Morbidelli (Pramac) crashed early in the session, as did Te🎃ch3’s Augusto Fernandez, while Hon💦da’s Joan Mir suffered a late tip-off.

Migue꧅l Oliveira was 20th and 1.486s off the pace on his racing return with Trackhouse Aprilia, while VR46 stand-in Michele Pirro was 22nd.

Full 2024 MotoGP Solidarity GP Practice results