Catalunya MotoGP, Barcelona - Saturday Practice Results

*Rookie.

Official Barcelona MotoGP records
Best lap: Aleix Espargaro 1m 38.686s (2023)
Fastest race lap: Johann Zarco 1m 39.939s (2021)

Miguel Oliveira fights back from a heavy fall to lead Saturday morning practice for the 2023 Catalunya MotoGP.

Rain flags were waved for some light spots in the closing minutes, keeping RNF Aprilia's Oliveira quickest from Johann Zarco, who then fell at the same Turn 5 as Oliveira's earlier spill.

Friday leader Aleix Espargaro, whose record Practice lap remained unbeaten, was third.

Maverick Vinales made it three RS-GPs in the top four, followed by the satellite Ducatis of Alex Marquez, Jorge Martin, Luca Marini and Fabio di Giannantonio.

Fabio Quartararo, riding with a special 'Joker' helmet, and KTM's Jack Miller completed the top ten.

Marc Marquez and Raul Fernandez experienced early technical issues, while Marco Bezzecchi joined Oliveira in suffering a sizeable fall.

Qualifying 1, featuring all six Japanese machines, including Quartararo and Marc Marquez, will now get underway.

Enea Bastianini has a three-place grid penalty for Sunday's race for riding slowly on the racing line and impeding another rider in Friday practice.

• Catalunya Moto2: Latest Results
• Catalunya Moto3: Latest Results

Ducati’s reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia takes a 62-point title lead over Pramac’s Jorge Martin into this weekend’s Catalunya MotoGP, after completing his third double of the season last time in Austria.

VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi is six points behind Martin with Brad Binder the top KTM in fourth.

LCR Honda’s Alex Rins remains absent due to his Mugello leg injuries and is again replaced by WorldSBK rider Iker Lecuona.

The Misano round takes place next weekend, followed by a post-race Official test then two months of ‘flyaway’ events held outside of Europe.