Pedro Acosta put KTM firmly in the spotlight during Friday's Practice session at the Catalan Grand Prix, topping the timesheets with a commanding performance. The young Spaniard clocked a blistering 1m38.710s with just 15 minutes remaining, holding off a fierce challenge from Gresini Ducati's Alex Marquez by a razor-thin 0.018s. In a session where the top 10 riders were separated by a mere quarter of a second, Acosta's lap proved unbeatable.

The day wasn't as kind to several key contenders. In-form Aprilia rider Jorge Martin endured a nightmare session, crashing twice and finishing a distant 17th, forcing him into Q1. Two-time MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia also missed the cut for direct Q2 entry, adding to the drama of an already intense championship battle.

KTM's dominance was evident throughout the session. Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi initially set the pace on soft tyres with a 1m39.062s, but the Austrian manufacturer quickly took control. Brad Binder became the first rider to dip below the 1m39s barrier, before Acosta snatched the top spot. Tech3's Enea Bastianini briefly made it a KTM 1-2-3, showcasing the brand's strength on Barcelona's demanding layout.

The final 10 minutes saw a flurry of late improvements. Fabio di Giannantonio surged to second on the VR46 Ducati, while Alex Marquez came within a whisker of Acosta's benchmark. But the Spanish duo held firm, completing a home-soil 1-2 that thrilled the local crowd. Binder's late charge secured third place in what was his most competitive showing in recent memory.

Trackhouse Aprilia's Raul Fernandez emerged as the top Aprilia rider in fourth, while LCR Honda's Johann Zarco led the Japanese manufacturer's charge. With the top 10 separated by just 0.25s, Saturday's qualifying promises to be a thriller as riders fight for grid position on one of MotoGP's most challenging circuits.