Crutchlow and Pedrosa on top - with 15 riders in a second on Friday

2018-05-04 11:11
It’s tight at Jerez on Day 1, including a crash for Marquez, Independent Teams flying high and another stunning performance from recovering Pedrosa

Independent Team rider Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) rules the roost in the Gran Premio Red Bull de España as actions ends on Friday, with the Argentina GP winner taking to the top in FP2 and leader on the combined timesheets. What does that mean? On a Friday as close as this, it means he was 0.028 clear of Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) in P2, 0.091 ahead of Johann Zarco ( Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and still not even a tenth in front of Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in fourth.

As well as the incredible equality of the top four within a tenth, the top 15 ended Day 1 within a second and the whole grid was covered by two seconds – a tantalizing prospect for race day if it remains the same.

The headlines didn’t stop there. 2017 Jerez winner Pedrosa, who is still recovering from a broken wrist, put in a stunning performance once again to not only threaten the top but also show some key consistency – with Zarco just behind him and top Yamaha. Iannone kept his solid form rolling after his rostrum finish in Texas, just ahead of what was another key moment of the day: reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), despite having shown awesome pace throughout both sessions, crashing out towards the end of FP2 – rider ok.

The man right behind Marquez after Day 1 was Championship leader Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), who went fastest in FP1, with his teammate Jorge Lorenzo taking seventh on Friday at the track at which he took his first podium in red in 2017. Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) was the top Independent Team Ducati rider in P8 overall after more solid top ten pace, with Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) taking ninth overall after a late move up from outside provisional Q2 entry.

The man completing the top ten was Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), after the Spaniard put in an incredible charge in FP1 to end that session in third and the day in tenth overall.

Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) was P12 and will have his sights set significantly further up the timesheets on Saturday, as will Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), who was P14 but missed the Spanish GP in 2017 due to injury, turning a wheel in anger at the venue for the first time this year. Wildcard Mika Kallio, riding a first version of the 2019 machine for Red Bull KTM Factory racing, was P16 on Day 1.

Everything’s open, everything’s close and everything’s set up for a Saturday to remember. Make sure to watch as battle commences to decide the grid from 14:10 (GMT +2) on Day 2.
Marquez takes charge on Day 1

Leader of the pack: Alex Marquez struck back in FP2
The Spaniard leads Baldassarri, Bagnaia and Lowes on home turf, as the top 17 are covered by a second

2017 Jerez winner Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) marched to the top of the Moto2™ timesheets on the opening day at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, with his 1:42.537 almost three tenths clear of second place man Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40). Championship leader Franceso Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46) failed to improve his time in FP2 after going fastest in the morning, and he ended the day P3 on the combined timesheets.

Former Jerez winner Sam Lowes (Swiss Innovative Investors), one of the quickest men at the preseason test at the venue, was fourth overall on the timesheets – his time of 1:42.836 was the exact same time Bagnaia recorded in FP1. Romano Fenati (Marinelli Snipers Team) impressed again in FP2 after going third quickest in FP1, finishing fifth on the combined practice times and taking the honour of top Rookie on the opening day.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo), winner here in the Moto3™ class in 2016 from the back of the grid, made a strong start to the weekend in sixth, with reigning Moto3™ Champion Joan Mir (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) just behind him in P7. Argentina GP winner Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) didn’t finish FP2 after a technical problem on the back straight forced him to pull off track. However, the Italian had already improved his time from FP1 by over three tenths, ending the day in eighth – 0.571 off Marquez’ time.

Rounding out the top ten on Friday was Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo), , with Iker Lecuona (Swiss Innovative Investors) in tenth – both of whom failed to go quicker in FP2 and their fastest efforts set in the morning
Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46) was an early faller in FP2, rider ok, but there was more drama as Bagnaia then clashed with Isaac Viñales (SAG Team) at the final corner at the end of the session, with both riders pushing for a quick time at the end of the day.

The intermediate class bikes will be back on track for FP3 on Saturday, 10:55 local time (GMT +2).
Antonelli sets incredible pace on the opening day

Enemy territory: Antonelli took to the front in Spain
The Italian leads Martin and Di Giannantonio on the combined Free Practice timesheets

Niccolò Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) set a blistering pace on Friday afternoon at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, improving his time by two seconds from FP1 to be the only rider to venture into the 1.46’s and go fastest overall. Championship leader Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) was his closest challenger, however he could only get within 0.444 seconds of the Italian. Martin’s teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio rounded out the top three – the only rider in the top 12 to not improve his FP1 time.

Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) was third in the afternoon session, his 1:47.165 was enough to put him fourth on the overall times – 0.006 behind Di Giannantonio. Last year’s Jerez race winner Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) improved on his FP1 time right at the end of his final FP2 run, ending the day P5 and 0.594 off Antonelli’s pace. Honda Team Asia rider Kaito Toba improved his time by nearly a second from FP1 to impress in P6.

Marcos Ramirez (Bester Capital Dubai) has found some form in Jerez so far this weekend, building on his solid FP1 display to finish seventh overall, with Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) in eighth. Tony Arbonlino (Marinelli Snipers Team), who led FP2 in the early stages of the session, was 0.009 seconds back from Dalla Porta in ninth, with John McPhee (CIP – Green Power) improving by over a second in the afternoon to end Friday in P10 on board his KTM machine.

Top rookie was Kazuki Masaki (RBA BOE Skull Rider), as the reigning Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion took P15.

Antonelli looks like an early candidate for pole position, can the chasing pack close the gap in FP3? Find out when the Moto3™ riders head back out on Saturday, 09:00 local time (GMT +2).

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