First session on the new configuration of the circuit for MotoGP during this session extended to one hour. The last part of the circuit, which has been completely remodeled, raises quite a few questions regarding the technical settings with, in particular, the very fast “14/15” chicane which calls into question the staging of the gearbox as well as the use of the fins, these generally making the motorcycle less agile. The electronic settings also need to be reviewed, not only for this chicane, but also for the heavier braking at the end of the straight at turn #10.
The only element of comparison, the Moto3 FP3 showed times about 3 seconds slower with , even if we ultimately expect a smaller difference in MotoGP thanks to the electronics, as well as a roughly similar top speed.
At the end of the first run, Marc Marquez sets a first milestone in 1'45.862 ahead of Jorge Lorenzo, Andrea Iannone and Valentino Rossi.
Dani Pedrosa then comes to register a 1'45.354 while Valentino Rossi tests his motorcycle with and without fins while Marquez only uses the first Honda mini-fins. As a reminder, Jorge Lorenzo set the best time in FP2 to 1'41.712 yesterday.
At mid-session, the Top 10 is made up of Pedrosa, half a second ahead of Marquez, Lorenzo, Iannone, A. Espargaro, Rossi already a second, Dovizioso, Vinales, Redding and Petrucci.
20 minutes from the checkered flag, Cal Crutchlow
is in 3rd position while Marc Marquez, who had just taken to the track, fell at turn #2 with a front tire that is probably still too cold. The rider has nothing but the bike is damaged enough for #93 to sprint to return to his box and take his second bike.
A few minutes later, Maverick Vinales, who was only 10th then, unleashes the big attack and lowers the best time to 1'45.276.
The final packaging sees Marquez takes command again on the handlebars of his second motorcycle in 1'44.847 while Bradley Smith makes a mistake at turn #2. Conversely, his teammate Pol Espargaro takes charge of the Yamaha troops by placing himself in a very good provisional 2nd position, in 1'45.193, before Maverick Vinales joined Marc Marquez under 1'45.
Redding places his Ducati in 4th place but it's again
Vinales who impresses by snatching a 1'44.727 at the last minute, exactly 3 seconds from yesterday's best time.
At the last second, Valentino Rossi returns to the Top 5, after being out of the Top 10 for a while.
In the end, if the Suzukis still seem as comfortable on this circuit, the modification of its route seems for the moment to rather benefit the Hondas, unlike the Yamahas...
1. Maverick Vinales ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 1m 44.727s [Lap 21/22] 341km/h (Top Speed)
2. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 44.847s +0.120s [17/21] 341km/h
3. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 44.951s +0.224s [21/21] 346km/h
4. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 45.071s +0.344s [23/23] 341km/h
5. Espargaro Pol ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)
1m 45.193s +0.466s [18/21] 339km/h
6. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1)
1m 45.287s +0.560s [20/20] 341km/h
7. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 45.305s +0.578s [19/23] 343km/h
8. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 45.321s +0.594s [22/23] 342km/h
9. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 1m 45.344s +0.617s [22/22] 337km/h
10. Andrea Iannone ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP)
1m 45.517s +0.790s [20/24] 347km/h
11. Yonny Hernandez COL Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP14.2) 1m 45.543s +0.816s [23/24] 343km/h
12. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP)
1m 45.602s +0.875s [19/21] 346km/h
13. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 1m 45.734s +1.007s [18/20] 334km/h
14. Alex Espargaro ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
1m 46.018s +1.291s [21/21] 337km/h
15. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 1m 46.051s +1.324s [22/22] 339km/h
16. Alvaro Bautista ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1m 46.343s +1.616s [19/23] 338km/h
17. Michele Pirro ITA Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 1m 46.558s +1.831s [18/20] 337km/h
18. Eugene Laverty IRL Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP14.2) 1m 46.613s +1.886s [20/21] 337km/h
19. Stefan bradl GER Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)
1m 46.826s +2.099s [22/22] 338km/h
20. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V)* 1m 46.993s +2.266s [22/22] 335km/h
21. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)
1m 47.513s +2.786s [5/19] 337km/h
Ranking compiled by our friends at crash.net
