On the first day of practice at Barcelona, the MotoGP riders took on FP1 with the track in less than perfect conditions due to some morning showers. With the asphalt slowly improving, Aleix Espargaró only turned a few laps, thinking better of risking and saving a set of slicks for the rest of the weekend. Sam Lowes, on the other hand, went out in the second part of the session, taking the opportunity to gain confidence on the Spanish track and stopping the clock with the seventh best time.

The track conditions in the afternoon FP2 session, on the other hand, were perfect, allowing Aprilia Racing Team Gresini to work on preparing for the race. Both of the riders demonstrated a good feeling on the Spanish circuit, especially working on tyre management. However, Aleix's attempts to exploit the softest tyre in the session finale where thwarted. In fact, he found slower riders on the track that hindered his first attempt, whereas on the second try and the last lap, Baz's crash forced him to widen his trajectory and slow down. His time of 1'45.554 placed him in fourteenth place. Sam Lowes did a good time with the soft tyre, taking sixteenth place with 1'45.760.