The reigning world champion has received the Spanish GP for the previous two years and comes into the 2024 version off the again of two disappointing rounds in Portugal and America.
In a crash-strewn session, Bagnaia left it to the tip of the hour to supply a 1m36.025s to paved the way by 0.100 seconds from Aprilia’s Vinales.
Marc Marquez regarded heading in the right direction to take high spot from Bagnaia on the finish however got here up simply quick with a 1m36.168s to maneuver forward of Marco Bezzecchi and championship chief Jorge Martin.
The Pramac rider set the early tempo within the hour-long afternoon session at Jerez with a 1m37.811s, buying and selling high spot with KTM’s Brad Binder earlier than the South African edged clear with a 1m36.794s inside the primary 10 minutes.
Then adopted a interval of a number of crashes in fast succession, with Bezzecchi, Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) and Vinales (Aprilia) sliding off.
Simply over midway into the session, Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo got here off his bike at Flip 7, with Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati), Dani Pedrosa (KTM) and Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse) additionally struggling falls.
With simply over 20 minutes remaining, Vinales pushed for an early delicate tyre run on his Aprilia and produced a 1m36.482s.
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
This was crushed by Martin with a 1m36.435s about eight minutes later, earlier than Vinales returned his Aprilia to the highest of the instances with a 1m36.125s.
This lap put Vinales beneath the present lap document, however it could be bested by 0.100s by Bagnaia on his remaining flying lap on the finish of the session.
Gresini’s Marc Marquez accomplished the highest three from Bezzecchi, Martin and Tech3 rookie Pedro Acosta – who was the one KTM rider to make it into Q2 qualifying straight.
A pricey crash for Binder within the closing levels left him on the fringes of the highest 10 and finally shuffled right down to eleventh when the sphere shook itself out.
Aleix Espargaro was seventh on the sister manufacturing unit Aprilia, with Ducati’s Enea Bastianini, VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez take the ultimate Q2 spots.
The remainder of the KTM contingent in Pedrosa, Jack Miller – who crashed late on – and Augusto Fernandez (Tech3) will be a part of Binder in Q1 on Saturday morning, as will Franco Morbidelli, each Yamahas and all 5 Hondas.