The Friday afternoon practice in Barcelona proved to be the most intense and dramatic session so far. Francesco Bagnaia rose to the occasion, topping the standings with a stunning lap of 1:38.918. The reigning champion edged out Marco Bezzecchi, who delivered a solid performance by setting the pace before securing second place. Aleix Espargaro completed the top three, making it a very memorable Friday for him.

The session was not without drama. Early incidents in practice involved Franco Morbidelli and Augusto Fernandez, who both crashed out. Bezzecchi even claimed the top spot before the final attacks began.

As the last 15 minutes unfolded, the intensity skyrocketed. Jorge Martin briefly took P1, only for Viñales to take it back. However, Martin responded with an even faster lap. Johann Zarco then delivered a remarkable final sector to place himself at the top, only for Bagnaia to steal the spotlight. Zarco settled for fourth, capping a strong day for the LCR team, while Martin ended the session in fifth. Despite being slightly behind Bagnaia, Martin secured a spot in Q2 and finished ahead of Viñales.

Elsewhere, Alex Marquez finished seventh, ahead of his brother and teammate Marc Marquez, as Marc continues to fight for third place in the championship. Pedro Acosta and Enea Bastianini rounded out the top 10, with Bastianini narrowly avoiding Q1.

Jack Miller and Brad Binder ended outside the top 10, along with Franco Morbidelli, who finished 15th. Miguel Oliveira marked his return by finishing 20th, showing promise for the rest of the weekend.