With spots of rain a possible portent of a tricky Saturday to come, MotoGP’s second free practice burst into frantic life in the last ten minutes, ending up with two Ducatis on top at what is supposed to be a bogy track, and the top 21 riders all within one scintillating second.
The iffy weather forecast means that, as always, today’s times might determine tomorrow’s chances of getting into Q2, and the crucial top ten was without at least one big name, as Team Winnow Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci was just 13th, albeit barely half a second down on his provisional pole-sitting team-mate, Qatar winner Andrea Dovizioso.
It was Alma Pramac Ducati’s Jack Miller in a close second, back from an early low-speed spill to slot in nine little thousandths of a second down on Dovi.
Monster Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales had been languishing down the order and complaining of wheelspin, but a late gallop on a soft rear tyre put him up to third, ousting erstwhile leader Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), winner here last year.
Another sensational performance from class rookie Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha) put him a stunning fifth, almost a tenth clear of late-comer Valentino Rossi (Monster Yamaha); himself just one hundredth ahead of Ecstar Suzuki star Alex Rins.
All this pushed long-time session leader Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda down to eighth, although significantly Marquez was endurance-testing the same soft rear tyre all session long.
Second Petronas Yamaha rider Franco Morbidelli was bumped down to ninth in the closing flurry, with Takaaki Nakagami on the 2018 LCR Honda holding the coveted tenth place.
Then came the Aprilia pair, with new teamster Andrea Iannone four hundredths ahead of Aleix Espargaro, with Petrucci’s factory Ducati a similar distance behind.
Fancied rookie Pecco Bagnaia (Alma Pramac Ducati) was a late-comer in 14th, moving ahead of fellow rookie Joan Mir (Ecstar Suzuki). A little earlier in the session, Mir had been as high as fourth.
Pol Espargaro was top Red Bull KTM in 16th, one place ahead of new team-mate Johann Zarco, now beginning to find some rhythm. Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda) was 0.978 off the leader, but down in 21st place.
Moto2
Times dropped in the afternoon too for Moto2, with the smaller classes also prey to potential weather problems and this year also having Q1 and Q2 sessions like MotoGP. today’s times might likewise prove crucial. And they were close: the top 20 on the sonorous new Triumph-powered bikes all within one second
Returned veteran Tom Luthi came out on top, the Dynavolt Kalex rider less than a tenth clear of fellow ex-MotoGP rider Sam Lowes (Gresini Kalex).
Kalexes held the top seven slots, with rising Australian star Remy Gardner (ONEXOX Kalex) a close third, ahead of Augusto Fernandez (Flexbox Kalex) and class rookie Nicolo Bulega, whose SKY VR46 team-mate Luca Marini was fastest in the morning, and now placed sixth.
Qatar winner Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox Kalex) was next, then the first intruder – the Speed Up of Jorge Navarro.
Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM) was ninth, four places ahead of team-mate Brad Binder, with Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Kalex) completing the top ten.
Moto3
Honda took first blood in Moto3, taking the top five position, with KTM riders placed from sixth to tenth, and a time of less than a second covering them all.
Scotsman John McPhee (Petronas Honda) was fastest at 1m 49.892, less than a tenth quicker than last year’s pole qualifier Tony Arbolino (Snipers Honda). Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Honda) was close, a couple of hundredths ahead of home hero Gabriel Rodrigo (ARG Honda) and Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Honda).
New KTM rider Aron Canet, runner up last year here on a Honda, was sixth; from rookie Dennis Foggia (SKY VR46 KTM), and morning leader Jaume Masia (Bester KTM).
Qatar winner Kaito Toba (Team Asia Honda) was 13th, nine tenths down; rookie Can Oncu (Red Bull KTM) placed 17th.
by Michael Scott
