Extreme heat and crashes on Friday in Assen
Day one at the TT circuit at Assen in the Netherlands saw scorching temperatures and several fast crashes during the Qualifying practice session.
Expectations were high for the Aprilia, who needed to bounce back strong after two disastrous races in Hungary and Czechia.
Even Ducati team boss, Davide Tardozzi, was adamant that their Italian rivals would be stronger on the fast flowing parts of the Assen circuit than the Ducatis. It is, however, the Bologna team's style to play down their chances adding again that their star rider, Marc Marquez, was still not fully fit, despite winning the last two GP's.
Half way through Qualifying practice 2, Tardozzi was proved correct as Aprilias occupied the top 4 places. Typically the first rider to split the Aprilias was the the Ducati of Marc Marquez with Diggia squeezing ahead of Jorge Martin before the riders set off on their final time attacks.
Fermin Aldeguer had a heavy crash from 140mph and tumbled violently through the gravel at turn 11 and was quickly followed by Jorge Martin on the same corner.
140mph crash for Fermin Aldeguer
Alex Marquez, showing signs of recovering from his horrendous Barcelona accident and already placing his Ducati into Qualifying 2, also had a 100mph plus crash at turn 10 and the session was immediately red flagged. Alex was taken to the medical centre.
With only just over 3 minutes to go, Pecco Bagnaia was outside the top 10, and had to put in his best lap of his day to avoid Qualifying 1, which he did slotting his Ducati into 5th place. In the process he was followed by Enea Bastianini and helped the Italian and his KTM into 7th.
All four Aprilias did finish in the top 10 with Bezzechi and Fernandez in 1st and 2nd, with the mercurial Pedro Acosta squeezing his KTM ahead of Ai Ogura in 3rd and 4th respectively. Bagnaia was in 5th followed by Marquez and Diggia in 7th.
Bastianini, Martin and Alex Marquez rounded out the top 10, but if the Spaniard is ruled out of the weekend through his injuries, this may promote Morbidelli. However, Joan Mir is the most likely to benefit as Morbidelli will probably be handed a penalty for, once again, riding slowly on the racing line.
