Friday at Le Mans delivered an unexpected gift — sunshine instead of the rain that had been forecast — and Fabio Di Giannantonio made the most of every dry lap. The Roman rider was a constant presence at the top of the timesheets throughout the day, securing a direct Q2 berth with a second-place finish in Practice. Franco Morbidelli put in a steady shift but will need to come through Q1 on Saturday after ending the day eighteenth.
Di Giannantonio hit the ground running from the very first session, posting second in FP1 and carrying that momentum into the afternoon. He spent much of the crucial Practice session leading the combined standings before ultimately settling in second with a best lap of 1’29″917. It was a polished display that underlined his confidence on the Le Mans layout, and it sets him up nicely heading into qualifying.
Morbidelli’s Friday was a more measured affair, with the team continuing the development work that began at the Jerez test. He made meaningful progress across both sessions, improving his lap time and position from morning to afternoon, and his best effort of 1’30″670 was a genuine step in the right direction — even if it left him seven tenths shy of the automatic Q2 cut. He will line up in Q1 on Saturday with work still to do.
Di Giannantonio reflected on a day that was more complex than the timesheets suggested, with the team spending significant time evaluating aerodynamic components that made pure lap time a secondary priority for stretches of the day. Despite that added workload, he stayed fast and focused. His sights are firmly set on the front row for qualifying — he knows that starting position will be critical if he wants to be in the fight for victory.
Morbidelli was honest about where things stand, acknowledging the performance isn’t yet at the level he’s looking for. Confidence through the corners remains a work in progress, but he pointed to genuine areas of promise — particularly the bike’s acceleration — and framed the day as another step forward in what has been a methodical rebuilding process.
Qualifying gets underway on Saturday at 10:50 local time, with the Sprint race to follow at 15:00. The main event takes place on Sunday at 14:00.
