This is a second essential free practice session for MotoGP riders which was launched on the Termas de Rio Hondo track which hosts the Argentine Grand Prix this weekend. After one first salvo spent getting his bearings, testing the new hard tire before brought by Michelin, but also to clean the track, it was time, at the end of the day in South America, to secure a place in the top 10. Because tomorrow, Saturday, rain is feared.
A place in the top ten means an entry ticket into Q.2 on Saturday, without going through the dreaded repechage. Before the debates began, under a temperature of 28° and with bitumen at point at 42°, this was the situation on the clock:
|
#ArgentinaGP MotoGP |
2016 |
2017 |
| FP1 | 1'43.684 Andrea Dovizioso | 1'40.356 Maverick Vinales |
| FP2 | 1'41.579 Marc Marquez | |
| FP3 | 1'40.368 Marc Marquez | |
| FP4 | 1'39.882 Marc Marquez | |
| Q1 | 1'40.552 Bradley Smith | |
| Q2 | 1'39.411 Marc Marquez | |
| Warm Up | 1'49.177 Andrea Iannone | |
| Course | Marquez Rossi Pedrosa | |
| All time lap record | 1'37.683 Marquez 2014 |
The first session was marked by a surprising absence of the leading men at the front with the exception of Casa Particular in Viñales, always at the top of the timesheet, and Tech3 drivers. When it came time to hit the track, neither the HRC drivers nor Red et Lorenzo were assured of a place in Q.2.
The first quarter of an hour was the prerogative of a Baptist determined who, in 1'40.968, was happy to play with the carbon fork on the handlebars of his Ducati GP16. A development then undermined by Marc Marquez, in no way cooled by its fall in the Argentinian morning. 1'40.670 was the new benchmark to beat.
The pace is rising in FP2, as Marquez goes top with 35 mins to go!#ArgentinaGP pic.twitter.com/wRuOtO4JQC
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) April 7, 2017
A mission which was first accomplished by the same Baptist in 1'40.290 twenty minutes from time, a period which also benefited Johann zarco to move into second place in 1'40.340. Márquez third, and Lorenzo ninth, expected in the top10 Red only eleventh. Bradley Smith, far from these concerns, fell at turn one with his KTM. Dani Pedrosa, distant fourteenth, imitated him at turn 13.
Running out of grip at turn 13 is @ 26_DaniPedrosa #RiderOK#ArgentinaGP pic.twitter.com/FbQfUaSWxO
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) April 7, 2017
Going into the final fateful minutes, the situation was critical for Lorenzo, Pedrosa et Red, still outside the top 10 in the cumulative times of the day's two sessions. This finale felt like a final bouquet. And his conclusion was astonishing.
Certainly, Casa Particular in Viñales kept the lead in 1'39.477 ahead Marc Márquez pushed back by more than three tenths, but the sequel does not lack spice. Four Ducatis follow and none are official. Besides, there are no drivers in red in the top 10. The third man is the improbable Karel Abraham followed by Baptist who is before Petrucci et Loris Baz. At Ducati, we don't know whether to laugh or cry. But Lorenzo, he fumes.
The Majorcan is a distant eighteenth and his teammate Dovizioso is fourteenth, behind Pedrosa. Johann zarco misses the mark and ranks twelfth behind Redding. The others saved from the top 10 are Iannone, Aleix Espargaró and his Aprilia, Jonas Folger et Cal Crutchlow.
As for Valentino Rossi, he ranks sixteenth. If the rain gets involved tomorrow, this promises us an unprecedented starting grid.
#ArgentinaGP MotoGP FP2: Chronos
1. Maverick Vinales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 39.477s
2. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 39.778s +0.301s
3. Karel Abraham CZE Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 39.880s +0.403s
4. Alvaro Bautista ESP Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 39.922s +0.445s
5. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17) 1m 39.960s +0.483s
6. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 40.120s +0.643s
7. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 1m 40.124s +0.647s
8. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)*
1m 40.157s +0.680s
9. Alex Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1m 40.175s +0.698s
10. Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
1m 40.250s +0.773s
11. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 40.338s +0.861s
12. Johann zarco ENG Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)*
1m 40.340s +0.863s
13. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 40.345s +0.868s
14. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 1m 40.399s +0.922s
15. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 40.431s +0.954s
16. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 40.531s +1.054s
17. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 1m 40.588s +1.111s
18. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17)
1m 40.599s +1.122s
19. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 1m 40.908s +1.431s
20. alex rins ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)* 1m 41.083s +1.606s
21. Espargaro Pol ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 1m 41.632s +2.155s
22. Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 1m 42.074s +2.597s
23. Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)*
1m 42.179s +2.702s
