Aleix Espargaro demonstrates record pace on Thursday at Assen

2014-06-26 19:53
Aleix Espargaro was the quickest rider on track - in record pace - in the second practice run at the Iveco Daily TT Assen for the MotoGP™ class, in front of Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa in the top three.

Espargaro (NGM Forward Racing) produced the fastest ever lap of the current Assen track (1'33.653) towards the end of FP2 on a soft rear tyre, the Spaniard beating Casey Stoner's 2012 lap record (1’33.713). Espargaro had also been second quickest in the morning session.

Repsol Honda’s young World Champion Marquez was second overall, a 0.211 gap behind Espargaro, with Dani Pedrosa in third place (0.416s) at a track which is usualy regarded to favour Yamaha.

Indeed the fastest factory Yamaha lap was set by Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) in fourth place, just under half a second off P1 pace.

Another good showing from Pramac Racing’s Andrea Iannone left him fifth, despite a run-off track in both Thursday sessions for the Italian.

Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3) and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) were classed in sixth and seventh respectively, with an identical 1’34.286 lap time.

Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech3) was eighth after riding fastest in FP1, with Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda MotoGP) and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) completing the top ten.

Nicky Hayden (Drive M7 Aspar) was down in 17th as he continues to ride with wrist problems, whilst in 22nd place Danilo Petrucci (IodaRacing Project) returned for the first time since Jerez following a wrist injury of his own.


Moto2™: Dutch action rounded up with Rabat at top
In the second Moto2™ session of the day on Thursday at the Iveco Daily TT Assen it was Tito Rabat who led the way, with Sam Lowes and Dominique Aegerter just behind him on the timesheet.

The intermediate class standings leader Rabat (Marc VDS Racing Team) registered an impressive 1’37.869 lap and demonstrated a strong race pace to underline his strength on the first day of practice in the Netherlands.

Rabat did not have such a good time in FP1 due to technical problems and a brief ride the wrong way down pit lane which resulted in a fine from Race Direction.

In FP2 with another new livery rookie Lowes (Speed Up) impressed again in second place (0.081s) at a circuit where he has previous experience, whilst Aegerter (Technomag carXpert) was third overall – having recently tried a MotoGP™ machine with Avintia Racing in the post-Barcelona race test.

Completing the top five were FP1’s fastest rider Jonas Folger (AGR Team) and Spaniard Jordi Torres (Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2), both just under half a second behind Rabat.

The top ten was completed by Johann Zarco (AirAsia Caterham Moto Racing), Sandro Cortese (Dynavolt Intact GP), Mika Kallio (Marc VDS Racing Team), Ricard Cardus (Tech 3) and Luis Salom (Pons HP 40). For Salom it was a chance to test his fitness after fracturing a finger in Barcelona and he ended the day 0.662s off P1.


Moto3™: Impressive Bastianini fastest on first day of practice
FP2 for the lightweight class riders at the Iveco Daily TT Assen saw Enea Bastianini set the pace, ahead of Jack Miller and Isaac Viñales.

Rookie Bastianini (Junior Team Go&FUN Moto3) took more than a second off the previous lap record pace, putting in a superb late 1’42.366 to stun the rest of the field.

Championship leader Miller (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was fastest in FP1 and improved in the afternoon, the Australian way ahead of his rivals before Bastianini’s late hot lap left Miller 0.206s off P1.

Viñales (Calvo Team) was almost half a second down on Bastianini’s time in a sunny afternoon session with the threatening rain ultimately not materialising.

Behind the all-KTM top three was Efren Vazquez (SAXOPRINT RTG) in fourth on his Honda, whilst another KTM rider Romano Fenati (SKY Racing Team VR46) was fifth.

The top ten was completed by Niklas Ajo (Avant Tecno Husqvarna Ajo), Alex Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0), wildcard Jasper Iwema (KRP Abbink Racing), John McPhee (SAXOPRINT RTG) and Miguel Oliveira (Mahindra Racing).

Luca Grünwald (Kiefer Racing) crashed at Turn 5 and walked away holding his wrist in pain, whilst Alex Rins (Estrella Galicia 0,0) went down at turn 9 towards the end of the session, only to be transported back to the pits on a scooter having initially tried to remount.

In the morning session the pace was already quick with Miller heading the timesheet with a 1’42.865, a lap well under the circuit record of 1’43.414 set by Oliveira in 2013.

Juanfran Guevara (Mapfre Aspar Team Moto3) missed FP1 due to a mechanical problem, with Aspar replacing the engine for the afternoon session. Guevara finished the day 30th overall.

Source: MotoGP

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