Maverick Vinales led another Yamaha sweep of the top positions in second MotoGP practice at Motorland Aragon while Ducati failed to get anyone into the provisional qualifying two spots.
Vinales lashed on soft rubber all round to set a 1’47.779 which wasn’t bettered and the Spaniard was the only rider to go under the 1’48s barrier. Petronas Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo was second, a quarter of a second behind with Franco Morbidelli in third on a 1’48.218.
The Yamaha men are easily into qualifying two tomorrow should tomorrow’s track temperatures hold back laptimes as they did this morning but it looks likely that all Ducatis will have to fight their way out of Q1.
Despite some handbags with Danilo Petrucci, Joan Mir took his Ecstar Suzuki to fourth place. The youngster was the first onto softs all round and posted a 1'48.501 before he and crew chief Frankie Carchedi had a chat behind a clipboard like kids in the back row of class exchanging roll-ups.
Britain's Cal Crutchlow bounced into fifth place with his last lap, sticking in a 1'50.598 to head off a charging Aleix Espargaro. The Aprilia rider, who could end up with Crutchlow as a team-mate in 2021, followed Vinales around to tow himself to a 1'48.670 which was enough to halt little brother Pol.
The Red Bull KTM man finished his day seventh overall on a 1'48.746 but had to contend with hometown hero Alex Marquez who slipped into eighth with his last lap of 1'48.823.
Taka Nakagami was ninth with Alex Rins taking the final provisional Q2 spot for Suzuki in tenth.
Johann Zarco went down for the second time today but was still the fastest Ducati man in 11th place on his GP19. Team-mate Tito Rabat surprised everyone as he ended in 12th ahead of Andrea Dovizioso, Jack Miller and Petrucci in 15th.
Miller had put 26 laps on a set of soft/medium Michelins today but a brand new set of softs couldn't drum him up any single-lap pace.
Bradley Smith finished in 18th, one ahead of Pecco Bagnaia while a crash for Brad Binder meant he finished stone last.
