News 22 Apr 2017

Marquez sets MotoGP pace on Friday in Texas

Miller off to a positive start at Circuit of the Americas.

Source: Supplied.

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) took back the top of the time-sheets at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas, as the number 93 put in a late charge on soft rubber to go fastest on Friday.

Marquez posted a 2m04.061s, 0.296 clear of an incredible performance from Monster Yamaha Tech3 rookie Johann Zarco. Championship leader Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) was third quickest on combined times after topping FP1.

Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) shot up into the top five late in the day as riders put in some time attacks, taking P4 by 0.005 from Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) was sixth quickest as he looks to put his bad luck in the Americas behind him, ahead of LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow, who also suffered a crash in FP1.

FP2 was punctuated by a big crash for Pull&Bear Aspar Team’s Karel Abraham down the road from T11, with the Czech rider up and headed to the Medical Centre thereafter. Abraham has suffered a small fracture in his ankle and will be reviewed again on Saturday before practice.

Loris Baz (Reale Avintia Racing) was another crasher at T1, rider okay, and there was a mechanical problem for Team Suzuki Ecstar rookie Alex Rins early in the second session of the day, with the Spaniard back out soon after on the second bike.

Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) was second fastest rookie in an impressive eighth on combined times, ahead of Octo Pramac Racing’s Scott Redding and Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Andrea Iannone, who completed the top 10.

Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) just missed that top 10 in 11th, with Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing), Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Hector Barbera (Reale Avintia Racing) completing the top 15.

Australian Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) was satisfied with his performance in getting the RC213V machine to absorb the bumps better and challenged for the top six in an exciting FP2, ending the day in 13th place and close to the top 10.

One big talking point on Friday afternoon saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing unveil their first aero fairing of the season, with Pol Espargaro finding the positives with the new design and nothing negative to report as the Austrian factory look to continue their progress following their first points in Argentina.

In Moto2, Alex Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) topped Friday by an impressive three tenths, with teammate and championship leader Franco Morbidelli completing another 1-2 for the team on the time-sheets. Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) locked out the top three in a fast first day of action in Austin for the German.

Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) set a serious marker in Moto3 FP1 and the Spanish sophomore bettered it further in the afternoon as a 2m16.750s saw him seven tenths clear of championship leader Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) to easily end the day as fastest. 2016 winner at the track Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers) ended the day in third on combined times.

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