Welcome to the beta version of the new Women & Golf website. Our web monkeys are still hard at work and welcome your feedback.  

Advertisement

MotoGP Germany: Vinales takes charge while Yamaha struggle

Ecstar Suzuki’s Maverick Vinales took charge of MotoGP free practice proceedings at the Sachsenring this afternoon, topping the timesheets with a 1’22.161 lap with Andrea Iannone in second place while the Movistar Yamahas of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, who crashed this morning, are struggling for pace.

Vinales set the pace early doors but then crashed with 20 minutes left to run, losing the front into the notorious turn 11, but bounced back to trade times with Marquez, coming out with a six-tenth advantage before Ducati’s Iannone charged into second place with a 1’22.381 at the end of final run.

Marquez, on the Repsol Honda, was the most consistent, with four laps in the 1’22 bracket and another pile in the 1’23s while Cal Crutchlow, who looks to have the best pace of the rest of the Hondas, ended in fourth after being demoted by Iannone’s final effort.

Advertisement

After telling anyone who would listen that the Sachsenring would not suit the Desmosedici GP, Andrea Dovizioso ended his day in fifth place with a 1’22.930 on his final effort while Aleix Espargaro, on the second Ecstar GSX-RR, shadowed Marquez for a run to finish sixth on a 1’22.953.

Hector Barbera leapt into seventh with his last lap and is hovering on the cusp of a 1’22s lap and his GP14.2 is just ahead of Danilo Petrucci GP15 Ducati. Team-mate Scott Redding brushed off his crash from this morning to take ninth with Yonny Hernandez tenth on the Pull and Bear Ducati.

Britain’s Bradley Smith ended in 12th, just behind Monster Yamaha team-mate Pol Espargaro. Jack Miller was as high as fifth early doors but slipped back to 12th place, one ahead of Valentino Rossi, whose best lap of 1’23.534 was some 1.373s slower than Vinales.

Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa are in even worse shape with the Yamaha man ending in 16th, one behind his Repsol Honda-powered compatriot, and a full 1.663s off the pace. Tito Rabat was a faller at turn 11 while Eugene Laverty crash at turn one.

Click here for times

Articles you may like

Advertisement

More MotoGP

Advertisement
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram