Aragon MotoGP, MotorLand - Free Practice (3) Results
World championship leader Fabio Quartararo moves to the top of the timesheets during Free Practice 3 for the 2021 Aragon MotoGP.
A typically franctic and ultra-close end of the session, courtesy of big gains on new soft rear tyres, saw the likes of 2020 pole sitter Takaaki Nakagami, plus Quartararo and current title rivals Francesco Bagnaia and Joan Mir all exchange P1 before Quartararo delivered an untouchable 1m 46.926s.
Aleix Espargaro then continued his excellent Aprilia form with second, before separate falls by both of the Marquez brothers brought out yellow flags.
The top ten riders after FP3 (combined times) receive direct access to the second and final part of qualifying, with the likes of Johann Zarco and Alex Rins missing out and heading for Qualifying 1.
After splitting from Yamaha following Austria and missing Silverstone, Maverick Vinales returns to MotoGP action with Aprilia, where he has signed to race until the end of 2022. Vinales, 20th and +1.142s on Friday, was 17th and +0.863s this morning.
Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow is replacing Vinales at the Factory Yamaha team for the second event in a row, and was an excellent third in Friday practice, with Jake Dixon likewise staying at Petronas Yamaha on the injured Franco Morbidelli's 2019 A-spec bike.
Dixon, 22nd and +2.374s on Friday, cut his lap time significantly to be +1.496s this morning, the closest he has been so far (after +1.6s in warm-up at Silverstone).
Having missed the 2020 rounds through injury, Marc Marquez is seeking his fifth Aragon win in a row at one of his favourite anti-clockwise tracks.
Danilo Petrucci was the only rider not to improve this morning...
| Aragon MotoGP, MotorLand - Free Practice (3) Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | 1'46.926s | 18/19 | 340k |
| 2 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | +0.023s | 17/17 | 345k |
| 3 | Joan Mir | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.056s | 16/19 | 337k |
| 4 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Team (GP21) | +0.058s | 15/19 | 344k |
| 5 | Jack Miller | AUS | Ducati Team (GP21) | +0.133s | 18/18 | 341k |
| 6 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP21)* | +0.194s | 17/18 | 342k |
| 7 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.208s | 17/19 | 344k |
| 8 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.259s | 16/19 | 340k |
| 9 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.330s | 16/17 | 340k |
| 10 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Avintia Ducati (GP19)* | +0.350s | 15/16 | 344k |
| 11 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP21) | +0.402s | 17/17 | 345k |
| 12 | Cal Crutchlow | GBR | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.427s | 16/18 | 342k |
| 13 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.463s | 19/19 | 341k |
| 14 | Alex Rins | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.470s | 19/19 | 344k |
| 15 | Valentino Rossi | ITA | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.625s | 19/19 | 341k |
| 16 | Alex Marquez | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.747s | 13/17 | 342k |
| 17 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | +0.863s | 15/17 | 340k |
| 18 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.879s | 14/18 | 350k |
| 19 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +0.903s | 17/18 | 344k |
| 20 | Luca Marini | ITA | Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* | +1.167s | 13/17 | 342k |
| 21 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +1.471s | 14/18 | 338k |
| 22 | Jake Dixon | GBR | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.496s | 11/16 | 334k |
* Rookie
| Riders directly to Qualifying 2 - Top 10 Combined Practice Times: | |||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team |
| 1 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 2 | Aleix Espargaro | ESP | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) |
| 3 | Joan Mir | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) |
| 4 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Team (GP21) |
| 5 | Jack Miller | AUS | Ducati Team (GP21) |
| 6 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP21)* |
| 7 | Pol Espargaro | ESP | Repsol Honda (RC213V) |
| 8 | Marc Marquez | ESP | Repsol Honda (RC213V) |
| 9 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) |
| 10 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Avintia Esponsorama (GP19)* |
Fastest Friday time:
Jack Miller AUS Ducati 1m 47.613s
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.
