News 27 Sep 2014

Dovizioso leads the way on new Ducati at Aragon

Parkes first of the PBMs in 21st during opening practices.

Source: MotoGP.

Source: MotoGP.

The MotoGP FP2 outing saw Andrea Dovizioso lead the way at the Gran Premio Movistar de Aragon, with Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa just behind him on the timesheet.

Dovizioso (Ducati Team) set the best time of the opening day at the Spanish circuit, putting in a 1m48.285 lap on softer option rubber and on his new GP14.2 machine, to outpace Marquez – who was on a hard tyre – by 0.043s.

Marquez is looking to repeat his 2013 victory in front of the home fans and he was 0.406s ahead of his Repsol Honda teammate Pedrosa, who was third in FP2.

In fourth place overall Andrea Iannone (Pramac Racing) was around half a second behind his future teammate Dovizioso, as he also enjoyed riding the new GP14.2 following a test on the machine earlier this week at Mugello for both riders.

Aleix Espargaro (NGM Forward Racing) was just ahead of his brother Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech3) as the Spanish pair ended the day fifth and sixth respectively.

Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda MotoGP), Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3) and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) completed the top 10 as the factory Yamaha riders failed to match the pace of Dovizioso and the factory Hondas. Lorenzo and Rossi trailed Dovizioso by 0.684s and 1.027s respectively.

It was a difficult day for Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing) who was forced to abandon his new Ducati in FP1 as it caught fire and then only made it out on track again towards the end of FP2, to set the 17th fastest time overall.

Coming off a podium at Le Mans in the Endurance World Championship last weekend, Broc Parkes was first of the Paul Bird Motorsports riders in 21st with a 1m52.415.

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