Ducati’s Andrea Iannone roared into top spot right at the death of today’s second MotoGP free practice session at Silverstone, putting in a 2’01.421 to set the quickest time of the day while Britain’s Cal Crutchlow pushed hard to bag third.
The Italian went out for his final exit using soft-compound Michelins all round and was aiming to beat the 2’01.721 of Maverick Vinales, set just before the chequered flag came out and went underneath the Spaniard’s Ecstar Suzuki by three-tenths of a second.
The pair had deposed Crutchlow from top spot but the Brno race winner remain in third place and was the quickest Honda, setting a 2’01.917 on his 13th lap of 15 to end more than three-tenths ahead of series leader Marc Marquez on the works RC213V.
Reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo split the Hondas with a 2’02.032, set on his first flying lap using the soft rear, while Movistar Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi - who was again testing the new chassis against the old - put on soft tyres all round to set a 2’02.262 to end in sixth place but eight-tenths off the pace.
Andrea Dovizioso was just 0.005s behind his compatriot to take seventh with Aleix Espargaro in eighth. Dani Pedrosa ended in ninth place on a 2’02.372 while Scott Redding will breathe a sigh of relief to finish in tenth as the likelihood of rain tomorrow at the Northamptonshire track is high.
Pol Espargaro and Hector Barbera are on the cusp of an automatic qualifying two place in 11th and 12th with Danilo Petrucci and Eugene Laverty next along. Alex Lowes improved his laptime by two and a half seconds to finish in 19th on a 2’03.885.
