Aragon MotoGP, MotorLand - Free Practice (2) Results
Jack Miller and Ducati top a hot and sunny Free Practice 2 for the 2021 Aragon MotoGP.
Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow, replacing Maverick Vinales at the Factory Yamaha team for the second event in a row, was jubliant at snatching a late second place, which ultimately became third when Aleix Espargaro put his Aprilia next best behind Miller.
Espargaro's new team-mate Vinales improved from +2.139s this morning to +1.142s in the afternoon, despite an earlier scare when he clipped the inside kerb through the final corner, sending the bike bucking.
After dominating the morning session, Marc Marquez was visibly angry after falling early in FP2 when he almost clipped the back of brother Alex's bike on entry to the fast final corner, sending him offline before losing the front and heavily damaging his RC213V.
The Repsol Honda rider - seeking his fifth Aragon win in a row (after missing the 2020 races through injury) at one of his favourite anti-clockwise tracks - returned to finish a subdued 20th, but remained inside the combined top ten.
Francesco Bagnaia was next to fall, the Ducati rider spinning off at Turn 5 as he clipped the inside kerb with 15 minutes gone before recovering to sixth. World championship leader Fabio Quartararo took seventh in FP2 at his 'worst' circuit after appearing to suffer a bee sting in his helmet.
Jake Dixon remains at Petronas Yamaha on the injured Franco Morbidelli's 2019 A-spec bike this weekend. Dixon remained in 22nd but closed the gap from +3.140s this morning to 2.374s this afternoon.
Suzuki's Joan Mir could only manage 21st this afternoon.
| Aragon MotoGP, MotorLand - Free Practice (2) Results | |||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max | |
| 1 | ^4 | Jack Miller | AUS | Ducati Team (GP21) | 1'47.613s | 15/17 | 344k |
| 2 | ^4 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | +0.273s | 18/19 | 346k |
| 3 | ^9 | Cal Crutchlow | GBR | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.284s | 17/19 | 341k |
| 4 | ^3 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP21) | +0.375s | 18/18 | 346k |
| 5 | ^12 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP21)* | +0.410s | 17/17 | 345k |
| 6 | ˅3 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Team (GP21) | +0.419s | 15/15 | 350k |
| 7 | ^1 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.421s | 16/17 | 337k |
| 8 | ^1 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.444s | 17/19 | 344k |
| 9 | ^2 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Avintia Ducati (GP19)* | +0.473s | 16/17 | 344k |
| 10 | = | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.553s | 15/16 | 348k |
| 11 | ^3 | Alex Rins | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.654s | 20/20 | 342k |
| 12 | ^9 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.665s | 16/17 | 345k |
| 13 | ˅9 | Alex Marquez | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.701s | 17/19 | 343k |
| 14 | ˅1 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +0.738s | 16/17 | 339k |
| 15 | = | Luca Marini | ITA | Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* | +0.843s | 18/18 | 342k |
| 16 | = | Iker Lecuona | SPA | KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +0.913s | 15/18 | 340k |
| 17 | ^1 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +1.010s | 3/20 | 345k |
| 18 | ^2 | Valentino Rossi | ITA | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.036s | 15/17 | 341k |
| 19 | = | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | +1.142s | 20/20 | 342k |
| 20 | ˅19 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +1.214s | 8/15 | 347k |
| 21 | ˅19 | Joan Mir | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +1.273s | 11/16 | 342k |
| 22 | = | Jake Dixon | GBR | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +2.374s | 11/17 | 337k |
^X Rider is X positions higher than FP1.
= Rider is same position as FP1.
˅X Rider is X positions lower than FP1.
* Rookie
| Top 10 Combined Practice Times: | |||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team |
| 1 | Jack Miller | AUS | Ducati Team (GP21) |
| 2 | Aleix Espargaro | ESP | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) |
| 3 | Cal Crutchlow | GBR | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 4 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP21) |
| 5 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP21)* |
| 6 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Team (GP21) |
| 7 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 8 | Marc Marquez | ESP | Repsol Honda (RC213V) |
| 9 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) |
| 10 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Avintia Esponsorama (GP19)* |
Official Aragon MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 1m 46.635s (2015)
Fastest race lap:
Franco Morbidelli ITA Yamaha 1m 48.249s(2020)
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
