MotoGP FP2

Ducati’s Jack Miller takes over at the top during another wet Friday practice session for the Emilia Romagna MotoGP, the second of this year’s events at Misano. Conditions were at least better than the morning session, with sunshine breaking through the clouds and a dry line starting to develop, prompting riders to switch from the soft to medium compound front wet tyre. Miller, fastest for most of this morning, was soon leading the timesheets this afternoon, where he remained to the chequered flag. FP1 leader Johann Zarco claimed second overall for a Ducati one-two, just 0.9s behind Miller, with Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro snatching a late third. World championship leader Fabio Quartararo will need to keep his fingers crossed for dry weather on Saturday morning after again struggling in the wet. The Frenchman was left down in 16th place and is currently heading for a rare Qualifying 1 appearance. Quartararo won’t be alone in hoping for a fine FP3 with Joan Mir and Marc Marquez also among those outside the top ten. Quartararo has his first chance to win the 2021 MotoGP title this weekend, providing he can keep his 52-point lead over Francesco Bagnaia to at least 50-points on Sunday. Bagnaia was eighth today. Local hero Valentino Rossi is competing in his final Italian round before retirement, but could only manage 22nd. Bagnaia won last month’s first Misano round, ahead of Quartararo and Enea Bastianini. EMILIA ROMAGNA MOTOGP, MISANO – FREE PRACTICE (2) RESULTS POS   RIDER NAT TEAM TIME/DIFF LAP MAX 1 ^2 Jack Miller AUS Ducati Team (GP21) 1’41.305s 10/16 295k 2 ˅1 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP21) +0.927s 19/19 294k 3 ^16 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +0.986s 17/17 290k 4 ^5 Iker Lecuona SPA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +1.271s 8/22 286k 5 ^2 Miguel Oliveira POR Red Bull KTM (RC16) +1.286s 16/21 288k 6 ^5 Luca Marini ITA Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +1.296s 16/16 290k 7 ^17 Lorenzo Salvadori ITA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* +1.310s 17/18 286k 8 ˅2 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Team (GP21) +1.364s 5/21 293k 9 ˅1 Danilo Petrucci ITA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +1.470s 18/18 286k 10 ˅6 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP21)* +1.504s 19/21 295k 11 ˅1 Joan Mir SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +1.537s 11/17 289k 12 ^8 Enea Bastianini ITA Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +1.537s 18/18 292k 13 ^1 Alex Marquez SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) +1.574s 12/17 291k 14 ˅12 Marc Marquez SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +1.578s 6/18 290k 15 ^1 Alex Rins SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +1.639s 18/18 290k 16 ^2 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +1.792s 9/19 287k 17 ^6 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +1.932s 20/22 286k 18 ˅5 Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Team (GP21) +2.108s 6/13 286k 19 ˅4 Pol Espargaro SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +2.165s 8/17 290k 20 ˅15 Franco Morbidelli ITA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +2.280s 18/18 284k 21 ˅4 Maverick Vinales SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +2.374s 16/16 291k 22 ˅10 Valentino Rossi ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +2.484s 19/19 286k 23 ˅1 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) +2.770s 21/21 289k 24 ˅3 Andrea Dovizioso ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +3.338s 10/16 286k