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 Termas: Marquez takes charge as Dovizioso slumps

Reigning MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez stormed to the top of the combined MotoGP free practice in Argentina, putting four-tenths of space between himself and second-placed man Cal Crutchlow with Dani Pedrosa completing a Honda clean sweep in third.

Until the last five minutes, Marquez held a near-one second advantage, putting in a 1’39.395 using Michelin’s medium tyres all round but LCR Honda’s Crutchlow cut the gap by half with a 1’39.799 on the same tyre combination.

Pedrosa’s time from this morning was enough to keep third place but he was fast enough for fifth in the second session.

Advertisement

It was disaster for the factory Ducati team as Andrea Dovizioso finished the second session dead last and 3.578 off the pace. His time from this morning put him in 15th place overall and one ahead of Jorge Lorenzo which will mean a whole pile of trouble should predicted rain appear for FP3.

Tito Rabat, on the satellite Avintia Ducati, put in the ride of the day to bag fourth on the combined sheets with an un-towed 1’40.346 which makes him the top Bologna man by four-tenths and six places as Jack Miller was next best in tenth and the last automatic qualifying two rider should it rain in the morning.

Ecstar Suzuki’s Andrea Iannone wasn’t able to improve his time but remained in fifth place as Maverick Vinales found pace on the soft rear tyre to take sixth place, one ahead of Valentino Rossi who set a 1’40.577.

Alex Rins, on the second GSX-RR, found one and a half second over lunch to end the day in eighth place with Johann Zarco in ninth.

Scott Redding was sitting pretty in tenth overall with only a few minutes left but quicker laps from Rins, Alvaro Bautista and Aprilia team-mate Aleix Espargaro saw the Briton slip down to 13th but he is less than a tenth off the pace of Miller, who replaced him at Pramac Ducati.

Danilo Petrucci, on the sister Pramac bike, finished ahead of the works GP18s with Hafizh Syahrin the best of the rookies, putting his Monster Yamaha in 17th and only 0.075s behind Lorenzo. Bradley Smith finished in 18th with KTM team-mate Pol Espargaro one place further back.

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