Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa has re-written the Assen MotoGP record books with the fastest-ever lap of the Dutch circuit in today’s second free practice session to lead team-mate Marc Marquez by a little over a tenth.
Pedrosa’s last flying lap of 1’33.450 just beat Marquez’ circuit best of 1’33.462 set last and the young Spaniard himself set a 1’33.589 to just top this morning’s fastest man Valentino Rossi who improved his time by more than half a second from this morning to sit in third place on a 1’33.652.
Andrea Iannone found two seconds over the lunch break to take fourth place on a 1’33.699, using the soft-tyre concession to good advantage to sit as fastest Ducati, two tenths quicker than team-leader Andrea Dovizioso.
Cal Crutchlow found a fast lap with only a couple of minutes left, which shot him into second place but he gradually slipped back to fifth place but ahead of Jorge Lorenzo, who mustered a 1’33.741 to go quicker by a second compared to this morning.
Dovizoso ended the day in seventh, one spot ahead of Aleix Espargaro who will be disappointed with his pace as he believed the Suzuki would be perfect for the fast and flowing Circuit Van Drenthe.
Danilo Petrucci finished in ninth place with Maverick Vinales in tenth and the last of the automatic qualifying two participants should it rain tomorrow for free practice three.
Should that happen, both Monster Yamaha team-mates Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith will have to make their way through qualifying one after finishing in 11th and 13th respectively but they will have to contend with Yonny Hernandez and his Pramac Ducati’s soft rear.
Scott Redding finished in 14th place, just ahead of the Open Forward Yamahas of Stefan Bradl and Loris Baz with Eugene Laverty the quickest Open Honda in 17th.
