#FrenchGP Le Mans MotoGP FP2: Dovizioso master of the rain

Threatening in the morning, the rain was indeed present for the Friday afternoon work of the MotoGP. The opportunity for the field to get used to the new surface of the Le Mans track and to evaluate the Michelin tires there. The start of the French Grand Prix had been the prerogative of a Jack Miller happy as a fish in water. And for this second free practice session?

Before knowing if the winner of a wet Dutch Grand Prix in 2016 showed his advantage again under the heavy skies of Sarthe, here is a reminder of the timing situation.

 

#FrenchGP MotoGP	2016	2017
FP1	1'34.042 Dani Pedrosa	1'37.467 Jack Miller
FP2	1'32.830 Jorge Lorenzo
FP3	1'32.528 Andrea Iannone
FP4	1'32.801 Jorge Lorenzo
Q1	1'33.139 Aleix Espargaro
Q2	1'31.975 Jorge Lorenzo
Warm up	1'33.009 Andrea Iannone
Course	Lorenzo, Rossi, Vinales
All time lap record	1'31.975 Jorge Lorenzo 2016

 

The exercise started very badly for a KTM team forced to keep Bradley Smith in the box while Pol Espargaro was falling at low speed into the gravel trap. A seemingly innocuous incident with the RC16 refusing to restart, leaving its pilot in great disarray.

On the track, Redding took the lead in 1'43.275 ahead Red, Dovizioso et Casa Particular in Viñales while Jorge Lorenzo was getting a little fright right before his eyes Loris Baz.

As the last quarter of an hour approaches, Petrucci with the GP17 placed himself in the wake of his teammate at the GP16. An effort that the Italian accentuated to achieve a 1'42.478 putting him in command of the ranking.  Miller first then Dovizioso then interposed themselves between the Pramac duo, without making anyone tremble Petrucci passed in 1'41.906. The only one under the 1'42 lap mark.

A threshold that Dovizioso crossed with one minute to go, ensuring, in the process, a Ducati leading trio on a wet track. A family portrait that Marc Marquez was happy to spoil in sight of the checkered flag. A final assault which, however, will not be enough for him to win, the HRC driver failing just 43 thousandths behind. Dovizioso who had a final scare before returning to the box.

Petrucci is third with a GP17 broken down in the box, Redding fourth and Iannone in the top 5 with the Suzuki. Baptist sixth precedes Miller, Vinales et Lowes, good ninth on the Aprilia. It is Valentino Rossi which closes the top 10. The Ducatis, in the rain, showed themselves strong, except that of Jorge Lorenzo...

This session, however informative it was, did not upset the hierarchy established in the morning. So to find the provisional qualifiers for Q.2, it is necessary to refer to the ranking of the FP1.

#FrenchGP Le Mans MotoGP FP2: Chronos

1. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 1m 41.673s [Lap 18/20] 298km/h (Top Speed)
2. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 41.716s +0.043s [18/19] 290km/h
3. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17) 1m 41.906s +0.233s [12/17] 294km/h
4. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 41.925s +0.252s [21/21] 295km/h
5. Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 1m 42.078s +0.405s [20/20] 295km/h
6. Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 42.625s +0.952s [21/21] 297km/h
7. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 1m 42.729s +1.056s [12/16] 288km/h
8. Maverick Vinales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 42.894s +1.221s [17/18] 298km/h
9. Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* 1m 42.998s +1.325s [18/19] 289km/h
10. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 43.006s +1.333s [20/20] 290km/h
11. Alex Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1m 43.177s +1.504s [16/16] 288km/h
12. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 43.250s +1.577s [19/19] 286km/h
13. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 1m 43.340s +1.667s [9/14] 293km/h
14. Johann zarco ENG Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 1m 44.177s +2.504s [21/21] 291km/h
15. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 1m 44.276s +2.603s [12/21] 283km/h
16. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 1m 44.572s +2.899s [12/17] 294km/h
17. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 1m 44.678s +3.005s [21/21] 288km/h
18. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 45.074s +3.401s [17/19] 295km/h
19. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 1m 45.119s +3.446s [14/18] 287km/h
20. Espargaro Pol ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 1m 45.622s +3.949s [13/13] 296km/h
21. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 45.804s +4.131s [17/17] 283km/h
22. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 47.127s +5.454s [7/9] 281km/h
23. Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 1m 47.701s +6.028s [10/11] 278km/h