San Marino MotoGP, Misano - Free Practice (2) Results
Johann Zarco, struggling with arm pump at recent events, edges out Aragon winnner Francesco Bagnaia to lead a wet Free Practice 2 for the 2021 San Marino MotoGP at Misano.
After a late downpour in FP1, which ultimately confirmed Aprilia's Maverick Vinales as fastest in both FP1 and day one, the sun dried out the Italian circuit - only for more rain to drench the track just before the start of the afternoon session.
The Ducatis of Jack Miller, Zarco and Bagnaia, plus Tech3 KTM's Iker Lecuona were consistently fast in the wet conditions although Lecuona, understood to be on his way to WorldSBK with Honda next season, suffered a huge highside with ten minutes to go.
Joan Mir and Marc Marquez then snatched a late fourth and fifth respectively, while Miguel Oliveira took over as the top KTM ahead of Danilo Petrucci and Aleix Espargaro's Aprilia. New team-mate Vinales, starting his second event on the RS-GP, was 17th in the wet.
World championship leader Fabio Quartararo, now a reduced 53-points clearof Bagnaia, was seventh in the dry this morning but dropped all the way down to 18th in the wet this afternoon.
With more rain forecast throughout the weekend, the top ten for direct access to Qualifying 2 could have already been decided in FP1 (see below).
Franco Morbidelli is making a return from knee surgery for his debut at Monster Yamaha, as Vinales' full-time replacement alongside Fabio Quartararo. Morbidelli was the top Yamaha in 13th this afternoon.
Taking over Morbidelli's ex-Petronas Yamaha bike is triple MotoGP title runner-up Andrea Dovizioso, the former Ducati star also remaining at what will be a restructured satellite Yamaha team for 2022. 24th and last this morning, Dovizioso was 21st and only 0.3s behind Quartararo in FP2.
Test riders Stefan Bradl (Honda) and Michele Pirro (Ducati) are making wild-card appearances.
A two-day official test will be held next week while the second Misano round, also the final home MotoGP appearance for local legend Valentino Rossi, will take place on October 22-24…
| San Marino MotoGP, Misano - Free Practice (2) Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP21) | 1'42.097s | 20/20 | 292k |
| 2 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Team (GP21) | +0.553s | 20/21 | 290k |
| 3 | Jack Miller | AUS | Ducati Team (GP21) | +0.622s | 16/16 | 289k |
| 4 | Joan Mir | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.813s | 17/18 | 283k |
| 5 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.824s | 17/18 | 286k |
| 6 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +1.137s | 22/22 | 283k |
| 7 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +1.232s | 16/19 | 286k |
| 8 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | +1.532s | 10/15 | 286k |
| 9 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +1.625s | 14/14 | 281k |
| 10 | Alex Marquez | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +1.642s | 19/20 | 288k |
| 11 | Alex Rins | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +1.663s | 18/18 | 287k |
| 12 | Michele Pirro | ITA | Ducati Team (GP21) | +1.714s | 12/12 | 282k |
| 13 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.747s | 19/19 | 280k |
| 14 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Avintia Ducati (GP19)* | +1.804s | 15/15 | 282k |
| 15 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP21)* | +1.809s | 19/20 | 290k |
| 16 | Valentino Rossi | ITA | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +2.033s | 20/20 | 283k |
| 17 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | +2.106s | 16/16 | 286k |
| 18 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +2.108s | 20/20 | 283k |
| 19 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +2.169s | 12/19 | 287k |
| 20 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +2.307s | 20/20 | 281k |
| 21 | Andrea Dovizioso | ITA | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +2.433s | 13/15 | 279k |
| 22 | Stefan Bradl | GER | HRC (RC213V) | +2.616s | 18/18 | 284k |
| 23 | Luca Marini | ITA | Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* | +2.873s | 19/20 | 281k |
| 24 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +2.895s | 18/19 | 281k |
* Rookie
| Top 10 Combined Practice Times: | |||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team |
| 1 | Maverick Vinales | ESP | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) |
| 2 | Joan Mir | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) |
| 3 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Team (GP21) |
| 4 | Jack Miller | AUS | Ducati Team (GP21) |
| 5 | Alex Rins | ESP | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) |
| 6 | Pol Espargaro | ESP | Repsol Honda (RC213V) |
| 7 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 8 | Stefan Bradl | GER | HRC (RC213V) |
| 9 | Marc Marquez | ESP | Repsol Honda (RC213V) |
| 10 | Aleix Espargaro | ESP | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) |
Fastest FP1 time:
Maverick Vinales SPA Aprilia 1m 32.666s
Official Misano MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Maverick Vinales SPA Yamaha 1m 31.007s (2020)
Fastest race lap:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1m 32.319s(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.
