Sunny skies and blazing afternoon heat didn’t stop all but four riders going faster in the afternoon, when the two factory Ducatis were topping the sheets until the closing minutes.
Mugello winner Jorge Lorenzo had done enough to stay there with a time of 1.38.930 on the reprofiled and resurfaced Montmelo circuit. But team-mate Andrea Dovizioso, half a second slower, was pushed down to fourth.
Ecstar Suzuki rider Andrea Iannone moved through to take second spot; while Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha) put his recent struggles in the heat behind him, placed third.
One of the four not to improve was second factory Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi; but he had been fastest in the morning, and on combined times was fifth. In the unlikely event of rain tomorrow morning, this could prove important, with the top ten going straight into the senior Q2 qualifying session.
Lorenzo, Catalunya MotoGP 2018
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) was the most prominent of the others, crashing unhurt while on his best lap. His morning time, however, left him down in 12th on combined times. The other two were Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati – who also fell) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia), 16th and 17th overall.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) was sixth; then Danilo Petrucci (Pramac Ducati), another faller Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda), with Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha) closing the top ten as top rookie.
However, fine weather is forecast, and all will get another chance.
Rossi, Catalunya MotoGP 2018
Moto2
The last session of the day saw only four of the top 15 Moto2 riders improve on their morning times – not among them points leader Pecco Bagnaia (SKY VR46 Kalex). His 1’44.225 set before lunch was enough to keep him better than a tenth ahead of the afternoon leader, Alex Marquez (VDS Kalex).
But Bagnaia was concerned by the end of the day. The arm-pump problems that plagued him at the last round at Mugello surfaced again, threatening the rest of his weekend.
It was morning times also for the next three: Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Kalex), super-fast rookie Joan Mir (VDS Kalex) and Alonso Fernandez – standing in for sacked Pons HP40 teamster Hector Barbera (see separate News story).
Fabio Quarteraro (Speed Up), Tetsuta Nagashima (Kalex), Brad Binder (KTM), Xavi Vierge (Kalex) and Mugello winner Miguel Oliveira (KTM) completed the top ten.
Remy Gardner, Moto2, Catalunya MotoGP 2018
Moto3
Moto3 championship leader Marco Bezzecchi headed his Redox PruestelGP team-mate Jakub Kornfeil and Sudmetal Schedl rider Philipp Oettl in an all-KTM provisional front row after the first two free sessions at the circuit of Barcelona-Catalunya today.
The Austrian bikes are fighting back after more than a year of near domination by Honda; with all but three of the top ten on KTMs, and within just over half a second.
Niccolo Antonelli and usual pole-sitter Jorge Marten were fourth and fifth, both on Honda. Then a quartet of KTMs: Jaume Masia, Darryn Binder, John McPhee and Nicolo Bulega ahead of tenth-fastest Aron Canet (Honda).
Petrucci, Catalunya MotoGP 2018
By Michael Scott