Ducati’s Andrea Iannone has picked up where he left off yesterday and topped the third MotoGP free practice session at Mugello this morning, edging former world champion Marc Marquez into second place as the only rider to break the 1’47s barrier.
Repsol Honda’s Marquez had been in charge with a 1’47.080 but Iannone stuck in a 1’46.991 - aided by a 216.4mph top speed - on his 18th lap to lead the Spaniard by 0.089s as Ecstar Suzuki’s Maverick Vinales hopped into third place with a 1’47.180 as the chequered flag was prepared.
As Marquez started his final flying lap, Aspar Ducati’s Yonny Hernandez slotted in behind him and used him as a marker to set the fourth quickest time of 1’47.327 even though Andrea Dovizioso also got in on the action but couldn’t benefit. Reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo took fifth place as his 1’47.393, set on lap 16, was slowly kicked down the order.
Still-injured Octo Ducati man Danilo Petrucci finished in sixth place, deposing Bradley Smith who stuck in one fas lap to secure a qualifying two spot. Home hero Valentino Rossi was sitting in second with seven minutes left but slipped to eighth while Dani Pedrosa and Ducati test rider Michele Pirro completed the top ten and the qualifying two men.
Britain’s Cal Crutchlow was bumped to 11th place by Vinales’ last lap and he will have to fight with Dovizoso and Scott Redding’s Ducati for a a place in Q2 but the two Espargaro brothers will also be in that mix. Monster Yamaha’s Pol suffered a front-end crash at Biondetti with 15 minutes of third practice gone.
Eugene Laverty finished in 21st, one ahead of Tito Rabat who looks to have broken his collarbone in a very early crash.