Quartararo bounces back to dominate Day 12021-08-27 15:29Despite an FP2 crash, the Yamaha rider heads the timesheets after blasting back out the blocks even faster Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) shot out the blocks at Silverstone, the Championship leader ending Day 1 of the Monster Energy British Grand Prix over half a second clear despite an FP2 crash. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) was second quickest, with Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) also bouncing back, in his case from an FP1 tumble, to take third on first contact with Silverstone on MotoGP™ machinery. FP1 Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) stole all the headlines in the morning. The eight-time World Champion was the fastest, and the only rider under the 2-minute barrier, but he also brought out the Red Flag for a fast crash through Maggots and Becketts. It was a lowside but a 270km/h lowside, leaving rider and bike sliding over the grass and gravel. The result was rider ok, bike not so much, and the Red Flag came out. 0.250 behind Marc Marquez was Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) as the Spaniard slotted into second, pipping Quartararo by 0.110. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team), who had a grandstand seat for teammate Marquez' slide in the closing stages, took fourth by just 0.035, with Miller closing out the top five within less than a tenth. Jake Dixon (Petronas Yamaha SRT) made a solid first impression, ending FP1 on a 2:03.939 and only seven tenths off Luca Marini (Avintia VR46). Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) crashed and Martin also went down, both at Turn 12 and both riders ok. FP2 There was another headline-grabbing crash in the afternoon, this time for Quartararo. The Frenchman went down at Turn 8, avoiding a highside by letting go early, and was initially holding his ankle and appeared in some pain. He was able to walk away and head back to the garage, however, as well as heading back out on track and going... even faster. So he was quickest, with a whopping 0.512 in hand over Miller. Martin bounced back from his FP1 crash to leap up into third late in FP2, with Pol Espargaro and Marc Marquez completing the top five as they retained some good speed. Marc Marquez later explained he did have some sand in his eye from the crash though, causing irritation and affecting his FP2 running. Heading to the hospital for the ok, the number 93 says it should be fine for Saturday. Alex Marquez was the other crasher in the afternoon, after Quartararo. Combined timesheets FP2 timesheets are the combined timesheets as everyone improved, leaving Quartararo dominant after Day 1 ahead of Miller, Martin, Pol Espargaro and Marc Marquez. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was sixth quickest, just ahead of Aleix Espargaro. Austrian GP winner Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) impressed with one of his best Fridays of the season so far, riding at the track for the first time in the premier class, as he took eighth. 2019 Silverstone winner Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was ninth, with Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) completing the top ten on Day 1 after a solid day at the office for the 'Doctor' as he makes his last call at the British GP. Reigning Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), riding at the track for the first time in MotoGP™ after having missed the 2019 edition through injury, was 13th. Dixon shaved another 1.3 seconds off his best lap in the afternoon, getting to within around 1.2 of Alex Marquez and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) ahead of him. That's a wrap on Friday, come back for more on Saturday as the grid gets decided from 14:10 (GMT +1)! FULL RESULTS MotoGP™ Friday top five: 1 Fabio Quartararo - Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP - Yamaha - 1:59.317 2 Jack Miller - Ducati Lenovo Team - Ducati - +0.512 3 Jorge Martin* - Pramac Racing - Ducati - +0.622 4 Pol Espargaro - Repsol Honda Team - Honda - +0.718 5 Marc Marquez - Repsol Honda Team - Honda - +0.734 *Independent Team rider Miller laid down some speed in second No previous MotoGP™ experience at Silverstone? No problem for Martin Raul Fernandez flies to the top at Silverstone The rookie sensation goes fastest on Friday on first contact with Silverstone on a Moto2™ machine Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) may be a Moto2™ rookie and heading into Silverstone with less overall experience than many, but that didn't stop him on Day 1 of the Monster Energy British Grand Prix. The Austria winner managed to pip 2019 Silverstone podium finisher Jorge Navarro (Lightech Speed Up) by just 0.017, with home hero Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) third overall but another three tenths back. FP1 Navarro was the fastest rider in the morning, beating most recent Silverstone Moto2™ winner Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) to the top by jut under a tenth and a half. The two had a huge advantage over the rest, with Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in third but 0.582 off the top. Raul Fernandez started his Silverstone Moto2™ debut well in fourth, 0.125 off Gardner, with Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) making a leap back up the timesheets into the postcode more expected of the American as he took fifth - pipping home hero Lowes. The Brit was also the only faller of the session, but rider ok. FP2 FP2 saw Raul Fernandez strike back. He was fastest, Navarro took over, and then the number 25 finally laid down his 2:04.501 to stay quickest. Lowes managed to leapfrog teammate Augusto Fernandez, and Gardner lurked in fifth. Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Albert Arenas (Kipin Energy Aspar Moto2) and Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) all crashed, riders ok. Combined timesheets The top 12 all set their best efforts in FP2, so it's Raul Fernandez, Navarro, Lowes, Augusto Fernandez and Gardner in the top five. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) took sixth ahead of Bezzecchi, with Roberts in P8 as he retained good speed in the afternoon. Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) was ninth quickest, with Aron Canet (Kipin Energy Aspar Team) rounding out the top ten. Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) was 11th, with Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) in P12 and the last of those on for a provisional place in Q2 who set their best in FP1. Pertamina Mandalika SAG teammates Bo Bendsneyder and Tom Lüthi, the latter racing at the British GP for the final time before retiring, took P13 and P14 on the combined times thanks to their FP1 bests. How will Saturday morning shuffle the pack? Find out from 10:55 (GMT +1) in FP3, before qualifying from 14:10. FULL RESULTS Moto2™ Friday top five: 1 Raul Fernandez - Red Bull KTM Ajo - Kalex - 2:04.501 2 Jorge Navarro - Lightech Speed Up - Boscoscuro - +0.017 3 Sam Lowes - Elf Marc VDS Racing Team - Kalex - +0.314 4 Augusto Fernandez - Elf Marc VDS Racing Team - Kalex - +0.365 5 Remy Gardner - Red Bull KTM Ajo - Kalex - +0.414 Fenati supreme at Silverstone on Friday The veteran Italian ends Day 1 ahead of the game, with Sasaki and Antonelli closest on the chase Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) ends Day 1 of the Monster Energy British Grand Prix as the fastest man in Moto3™, the Italian taking to the top in both sessions to lay an early claim to Silverstone. By the end of play, Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) had cut over half a second to a tenth and a half of advantage, with Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy) returning from injury to get within 0.199 of the top. Source: Dorna Sports Click here to visit our forums to discuss this story |
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