Valencia Grand Prix, Ricardo Tormo, MotoGP, FP4: Marc Marquez demonstrating in the dry, Zarco second.

This last free practice session is generally devoted to final adjustments for the race that follows the next day. but in Valencia, this FP4 was like a rehearsal for the qualifications to follow. Indeed, the Ricardo Tormo track is promised for Sunday as washed out by rain. However, this Saturday afternoon is that of clearings which dry out the track… So, we take out the slicks! Who was the bravest?

Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the situation:

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)	1'39.712 Danilo Petrucci
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)

18° in the air and 20° on the track, no more is needed to Jack Miller to mount slicks and attack barely drying bitumen. In 1'35.250, he set the tone, particularly for his teammate Petrucci whom he designated as his target in 2019. To steal his place among the reds!

zarco, Kidneys et Baptist complete the top 5. But Smith gets involved and pushes the future Ducati Superbike rider into the peloton. Marquez is fifteenth, Dovizioso two places behind, and Red follows.

Petrucci passes in front less than ten minutes from the goal in 1'33.782. The entire deck is soft slick. As a result Marquez puts things back in order with a 1'33.562. Then 1'32.953... Red is twenty-second as the last five minutes begin. Alex Rins crash at turn 8. He was seventh. Jack Miller falls at turn 1.

Marquez finished first in 1'32.571. zarco et Espargaro Pol follow, like a duel already underway at a distance between the next two teammates at KTM. His brother Aleix from Aprilia, Dovi, Vinales et Petrucci complete the top ranking. Red is only 22th. Syahrin eighth. last twist, the Ducati of Petrucci catches fire during the test start!

Valencia Grand Prix, Ricardo Tormo, MotoGP, FP4: times

1	93	Marc Márquez	Honda	1'32.571
2	5	johann zarco	Yamaha	1'33.072	0.501	0.501
3	44	Pol Espargaró	KTM	1'33.219	0.648	0.147
4	41	Aleix Espargaro	Aprilia	1'33.284	0.713	0.065
5	4	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati	1'33.577	1.006	0.293
6	25	Maverick VIÑALES	Yamaha	1'33.626	1.055	0.049
7	9	Danilo PETRUCCI	Ducati	1'33.772	1.201	0.146
8	55	Hafiz Syahrin	Yamaha	1'33.809	1.238	0.037
9	30	Takaaki NAKAGAMI	Honda	1'33.817	1.246	0.008
10	29	Andrea Iannone	Suzuki	1'33.825	1.254	0.008
11	51	Michael PIRRO	Ducati	1'34.002	1.431	0.177
12	42	Alex Rins	Suzuki	1'34.007	1.436	0.005
13	43	Jack Miller	Ducati	1'34.164	1.593	0.157
14	19	Alvaro BAUTISTA	Ducati	1'34.219	1.648	0.055
15	38	Bradley SMITH	KTM	1'34.342	1.771	0.123
16	99	Jorge Lorenzo	Ducati	1'34.478	1.907	0.136
17	12	Thomas LUTHI	Honda	1'34.563	1.992	0.085
18	6	Stefan BRADL	Honda	1'34.727	2.156	0.164
19	26	Dani PEDROSA	Honda	1'34.999	2.428	0.272
20	17	Karel ABRAHAM	Ducati	1'35.059	2.488	0.060
21	21	Frank MORBIDELLI	Honda	1'35.295	2.724	0.236
22	46	Valentino ROSSI	Yamaha	1'35.884	3.313	0.589
23	45	Scott REDDING	Aprilia	1'36.264	3.693	0.380
24	81	Jordi TORRES	Ducati	1'37.402	4.831	1.138