Malaysian MotoGP Free Practice Results | Binder on top as rain scuppers Bagnaia

Brad Binder topped the timesheets on a topsy-turvy day of Friday free practice action at Sepang for the 2022 Malaysian MotoGP, the penultimate round of the season.

A crucial race weekend in the context of the title fight after Pecco Bagnaia moved into the driving seat at the head of the leaderboard last time out at Phillip Island, the challenge facing himself and key rival Fabio Quartararo was exacerbated by Malaysia’s typical unpredictable climate bringing a heavy downpour before FP2.

With the session delayed for some time before the bikes could hit the track in safe but still sodden conditions, each rider’s top time would come from their earlier FP1 efforts.

As such, it was FP1 pacesetter Brad Binder leading the way at the end of the day, the KTM rider putting aside his lack of MotoGP racing knowledge of the venue to go quickest with a 1m 59.479secs lap.

Indeed, though this is the first Malaysian MotoGP to take place since 2019, the riders know the venue well from pre-season testing.

Australian MotoGP race winner Alex Rins slotted into second place behind Binder, with Honda’s Marc Marquez and Gresini Ducati’s Enea Bastianini making it four different manufacturers inside the top four.

Joan Mir backed up his Suzuki team-mate Rins with the fifth best time, ahead of Jorge Martin and Fabio Quartararo, the erstwhile championship leader a safe seventh to make the provisional Q2 cut should rain hamper proceedings again in FP3 tomorrow morning.

That was unlike Bagnaia, who could only manage the 11th best time and Aleix Espargaro, who was a lowly 20th after the first day’s action.

Completing the top ten was rookie Fabio di Giannantonio and VR46 Ducati pair Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi.

In the wet afternoon session, Cal Crutchlow was quickest with home favourites RNF Yamaha, albeit six seconds off the ultimate pace, with Bagnaia looking better sorted in second and Alex Marquez - who has a long lap penalty this weekend for his part in torpedoing Jack  Miller at Phillip Island - in third.

2022 Malaysian MotoGP | Sepang | Free Practice Results [FP1+FP2]