Europe’s blazing summer continued at Brno, and the baking temperatures – 32 degrees ambient, and a punishing 49 on the track surface – worked wonders for one man … Dani Pedrosa.
The Repsol Honda rider has not even qualified in the top ten for three out of the last four races, and announced his retirement at the last round in Germany.
Pedrosa, Czech MotoGP 2018
Today the lightweight Spaniard was one of a few riders able to fit the softer Michelin in the heat, and pushed through to head the faster second session, almost quarter of a second clear of Alma Pramac Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci.
Asked if it was a matter of renewed confidence, after having finally reached a decision about his future, he said: “I can’t give a perfect answer. But there is something less bad about the bike and that gives me more confidence.”
Another independent Ducati was third-fastest. Alvaro Bautista’s Angel Nieto team is ceding its grid place to Yamaha’s new independent Petronas squad next year, and the former 125 champion seems certain to be out of a ride. Today he proved a point with a searing lap, less than half a tenth off Petrucci.
With dry weather set to continue, being in the top ten to secure a move straight into Q2 was less important, with many top riders focusing on tyre assessment and race set-up. Among them Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), who slipped to tenth after leading early on.
Independent-team rookie Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha) was fourth, ahead of a confident Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) and factory Yamaha riders Maverick Vinales and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha).
Avintia Ducati’s Tito Rabat was eighth, and early session leader Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha) ninth, less than six tenths off Pedrosa as times closed up.
Andrea Iannone was top Suzuki rider in 11th; Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Ducati) was 13th, ahead of Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda); wild card Stefan Bradl (HRC Honda) was 16th, the only rider not to improve in the afternoon.
Miller, Czech MotoGP 2018
With the top 20 all within the same second, the closest season of Moto2 racing resumed with Germany’s Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Intact Kalex) on top by two tenths from championship leader Pecco Bagnaia (SKY VR46 Kalex); while his closest challenger Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM) was 12-fastest, albeit less than six-tenths slower.
This repeated a familiar pattern, and looked like giving the Portuguese rider, winner at Mugello, yet another difficult race, unless he can achieve another lightning start.
But with another day to go, and although the list of names was in a predictable order, anything could still happen.
At present, veteran Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Kalex) is third, ahead of Alex Marquez (EG-VDS Kalex) and this year’s surprise package Fabio Quartararo (Speed Up), on the fastest non-Kalex.
Jorge Navarro (Federal Oil Kalex), Romano Fenati (Marinelli Kalex) and fellow rookie Joan Mir (EG-VDS Kalex) are next, with Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40 Kalex) and Simone Corsi (Tasca Kalex) completing the top ten.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM), winner of the last round in Germany, was 21st.
Moto3 qualifying saw close times – the first 20 within one second at one of the longer tracks of the season – and most riders faster in the afternoon.
One exception was Phillip Oettl (Sudmetal KTM), whose morning 2’09.890 (two seconds off the pole record) was good enough to keep his name at the top of the list.
Teenage Japanese rookie Kazuki Masaki (RBA KTM) slotted in to a surprise second in the afternoon, ahead of Aron Canet (EG Honda) and another KTM rider, SKY VR46’s Nicolo Bulega.
Lorenzo Dalla Porta heads a quartet of Hondas, from Fabio Di Giannantonio, Adam Norrodin and the absent Jorge Martin. KTM riders Gabriel Rodrigo and John McPhee round out the top ten.
By Gordon Ritchie