True to form, Marc Márquez dominated the first free practice session this morning. However, he had a little competition with Pramac teammates Jack Miller and Danilo Petrucci, who were often very comfortable in the rain and who turned out to be in great shape. Andrea Dovizioso followed their pace, a few tenths behind, while Jorge Lorenzo only finished nineteenth. Likewise, the Yamaha riders encountered some difficulties, even if at the end of the session Maverick Vinales managed to climb into seventh position.
The session was stopped at the red flag due to dangerous track conditions and fortunately the rain stopped so the drivers could restart. Many drivers took advantage of this FP1 to test the grip of the track and their feelings as an introduction to this weekend which should take place entirely in the rain, except perhaps for qualifying.
Everyone is getting ready to hit the track again this afternoon for the last FP2 of the season.
| Valencia MotoGP™ | 2017 | 2018 |
| FP1 |
1'31.045 Andrea Iannone (see here) |
1'39.767 Marc Marquez (see here) |
| FP2 |
1'30.640 Jorge Lorenzo (see here) |
1'41.318 Danilo Petrucci |
| FP3 |
1'30.255 Marc Marquez (see here) |
|
| FP4 |
1'31.156 Marc Marquez (see here) |
|
| Qualification 1 |
1'30.893 Pol Espargaro (see here) |
|
| Qualification 2 |
1'29.897 Marc Marquez (see here) |
|
| Warm Up |
1'31.263 Marc Marquez (see here) |
|
| Course |
Pedrosa, Zarco, Marquez (see here) |
|
| All time lap record |
1'29.401 Jorge Lorenzo 2016 (see here) |
Who will claim top spot on the opening day in #MotoGP? ?#ValenciaGP ?? pic.twitter.com/EXJO42Yv7N
- MotoGP ™ ??? (@MotoGP) November 16, 2018
The heavy rain has subsided, but it is still raining when the MotoGP riders set off for the second free practice session of the day. The track is therefore soaked, and the situation is quite similar to this morning, especially since the temperatures have barely changed: 16 degrees in the air, 15 degrees on the track.
Franco Morbidelli is the first to exit the pit lane, and the rest of the field follows timidly. Johann zarco established the reference time in 1'47.708, but made a mistake five minutes later in turn 12. Meanwhile, the times started to go down, and it is now Alex Rins who dominates in 1'45.766 in front Pol Espargaro, Maverick Vinales, Scott Redding, Tom Luthi et Franco Morbidelli.
Ouch! No warnings from @JohannZarco1's Yamaha as the rear lets go at turn 12… #RiderOK #ValenciaGP pic.twitter.com/z7VYUqmFsD
- MotoGP ™ ??? (@MotoGP) November 16, 2018
In the fall, the Frenchman's bike left marks and the session was therefore stopped at the red flag barely ten minutes after the start, like this morning, until the marshals could clean up. The pit lane opens again around ten minutes later, and the drivers can set off again.
Danilo Petrucci immediately takes command of the session, but Valentino Rossi is in great shape and strings together fast laps. He ended up taking the lead, and improved his time on the next lap, before being passed by Marc Marquez. After ten minutes, the Spaniard still dominates in front Danilo Petrucci, Valentino Rossi, Pol Espargaro, Alex Rins et Scott Redding. Andrea Iannone, Jorge Lorenzo, Franco Morbidelli et Maverick Vinales complete the top 10. Andrea Dovizioso is third, Johann zarco fourteenth.
Six drivers have still not left their box. This is'Aleix Espargaró, Xavier Simeon, Jack Miller, Stefan bradl, Karel Abraham et Dani Pedrosa.
Halfway through the session, everyone is on track. Petrucci took control of the session, ahead of Márquez, Red, Iannone, brothers Aleix et Pol Espargaro, Casa Particular in Viñales, Bradley Smith, Kidneys et Simeon. Lorenzo is 14st, Dovizioso 18th and zarco 19th. Simeon then makes a mistake in turn 12, imitated by Stefan bradl a few minutes after.
The positions have almost not changed, and the ten provisional qualifiers for Q2 (at the combined times of FP1 and FP2) are therefore Marquez, Miller, Petrucci, Dovizioso, Pedrosa, Vinales, Pirro, Pol Espargaró et Kidneys. Red et zarco are therefore eliminated for the moment.
FP2 ranking:
1 9 Danilo PETRUCCI ITA Alma Pramac Racing Ducati 299.7 1'41.318
2 93 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 298.5 1'41.725 0.407 / 0.407
3 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 297.2 1'42.081 0.763 / 0.356
4 29 Andrea IANNONE ITA Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki 298.0 1'42.365 1.047 / 0.284
5 41 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 302.5 1'42.385 1.067 / 0.020
6 44 Pol ESPARGARO SPA Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 302.5 1'42.655 1.337 / 0.270
7 25 Maverick VIÑALES SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 302.2 1'42.746 1.428 / 0.091
8 45 Scott REDDING GBR Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 300.5 1'42.857 1.539 / 0.111
9 38 Bradley SMITH GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 294.5 1'43.009 1.691 / 0.152
10 42 Alex RINS SPA Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki 299.4 1'43.051 1.733 / 0.042
11 10 Xavier SIMEON BEL Reale Avintia Racing Ducati 301.4 1'43.113 1.795 / 0.062
12 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team Ducati 304.9 1'43.250 1.932 / 0.137
13 43 Jack MILLER AUS Alma Pramac Racing Ducati 297.2 1'43.409 2.091 / 0.159
14 55 Hafizh SYAHRIN MAL Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 300.9 1'43.727 2.409 / 0.318
15 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Ducati Team Ducati 290.4 1'43.798 2.480 / 0.071
16 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA Angel Nieto Team Ducati 300.9 1'43.844 2.526 / 0.046
17 30 Takaaki NAKAGAMI JPN LCR Honda IDEMITSU Honda 287.0 1'43.846 2.528 / 0.002
18 21 Franco MORBIDELLI ITA EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda 296.2 1'43.854 2.536 / 0.008
19 12 Thomas LUTHI SWI EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda 297.7 1'43.858 2.540 / 0.004
20 5 Johann ZARCO FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 299.2 1'44.261 2.943 / 0.403
21 51 Michele PIRRO ITA Ducati Team Ducati 299.3 1'44.681 3.363 / 0.420
22 6 Stefan BRADL GER LCR Honda CASTROL Honda 287.3 1'44.732 3.414 / 0.051
23 17 Karel ABRAHAM CZE Angel Nieto Team Ducati 292.8 1'45.260 3.942 / 0.528
24 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 291.1 1'45.401 4.083 / 0.141
25 81 Jordi TORRES SPA Reale Avintia Racing Ducati 293.1 1'45.975 4.657 / 0.574
