Movistar Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales stuck in single fast lap on Michelin’s soft rear tyre to lead the opening free practice by half a second at Silverstone this morning.The Spaniard spent most of the session on a medium/medium combination but came out with two minutes left to put in a 2’02.130 for his final effort which toppled Jorge Lorenzo from top spot.
Lorenzo, also on a soft rear, had taken charge from Britain’s Cal Crutchlow with six minutes left, setting a 2’02.649 which was 0.120s quicker than the LCR, equipped with medium Michelins all round but the Isle of Man resident had several laps disallowed for running off the track.
In a change from his usual strategy, reigning champion Marc Marquez rode the whole session with the same soft rear, and ended up in fourth place with a gap to Crutchlow of 0.088s. The Repsol Honda man put in six 2;03s laps and three 2’02s all on the same tyre, which is ominous pace so early in a weekend.
Valentino Rossi didn’t use a soft rear at all in the session and took the chequered flag in fifth place on a 2’02.995. Given that Vinales found eight-tenths with the soft tyre, The Doctor is in the ball-park in terms of one-lap pace.
Alvaro Bautista banged in a soft tyre to claim sixth place while Johann Zarco, normally one to start the weekend with the soft rear, spent the opening period on the medium, finishing in seventh place, one ahead of Aleix Espargaro.
Scott Redding jumped to ninth with his last lap with Andrea Dovizioso in tenth place. Jack Miller was chased hard by Alex Rins for 11th place with Pol Espargaro in 13th.
Dani Pedrosa was some way off the pace in 14th place, ending 1.540s off the pace with Loris Baz just behind him. Bradley Smith had a change of crew chief for this morning but was still down in 21st, two ahead of Sam Lowes who crashed on a cold front tyre at Farm.
Pramac Ducati's Danilo Petrucci broke down with three minutes left to run and ended the day in 19th.
