Vinales tops Friday practice at Assen

After two weekends ruled by one man, the timesheets have had a shake up once again at the Motul TT Assen – with Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) taking to the top late in FP2 to go fastest on Friday, 0.121 seconds ahead of Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar). After reigning Champion and Championship leader Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) went quickest in FP1, it was all change in the afternoon as the number 93 was eighth fastest.

Under sunny – and scorching – skies at the TT Circuit Assen, the two men who fought for the 2017 win dueled it out for third, with Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) just 0.015 ahead of compatriot Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) by the end of action. ‘Petrux’ was also top Independent Team rider on Day 1 on his Ducati, with fastest Honda and fellow Independent Team rider Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) locking out the top five.

After the swing of momentum of late in the Ducati Team, Andrea Dovizioso will be happy to have edged out teammate Jorge Lorenzo on the combined timesheets, with ‘DesmoDovi’ taking P6 and Lorenzo just behind in P7 – despite a rare crash for the ‘Spartan’ sustained in FP1. The two were split by almost nothing, with a difference of only 0.011 and both just ahead of Marquez in eighth. Marquez also suffered a few moments and twitches in FP2 but no crash, not focusing on a fast lap.

Friday Practice Times

Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Constructor Time/Gap
1 VINALES Maverick 25 SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 1'33.378
2 IANNONE Andrea 29 ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki 0.121
3 PETRUCCI Danilo 9 ITA Alma Pramac Racing Ducati 0.386
4 ROSSI Valentino 46 ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 0.401
5 CRUTCHLOW Cal 35 GBR LCR Honda Honda 0.434
6 DOVIZIOSO Andrea 4 ITA Ducati Team Ducati 0.481
7 LORENZO Jorge 99 SPA Ducati Team Ducati 0.492
8 MARQUEZ Marc 93 SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 0.663
9 RINS Alex 42 SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki 0.669
10 ZARCO Johann 5 FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 0.755
11 PEDROSA Dani 26 SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 0.789
12 SYAHRIN Hafizh 55 MAL Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 0.868
13 ESPARGARO Aleix 41 SPA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 0.940
14 BAUTISTA Alvaro 19 SPA Angel Nieto Team Ducati 1.106
15 ABRAHAM Karel 17 CZE Angel Nieto Team Ducati 1.144
16 MILLER Jack 43 AUS Alma Pramac Racing Ducati 1.157
17 RABAT Tito 53 SPA Reale Avintia Racing Ducati 1.198
18 SMITH Bradley 38 GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 1.322
19 ESPARGARO Pol 44 SPA Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 1.444
20 NAKAGAMI Takaaki 30 JPN LCR Honda Honda 1.477
21 REDDING Scott 45 GBR Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 1.592
22 MORBIDELLI Franco 21 ITA EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda 1.909
23 LUTHI Tom 12 SWI EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda 2.751
24 SIMEON Xavier 10 BEL Reale Avintia Racing Ducati 2.779