Australian displays extraordinary pace during French practice.
FP1 at the HJC Helmets Grand Prix de France started wet and was eventually just dry enough for slicks for those who dared and Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) did, as the Queenslander set a blistering 1m37.467s to top the session.
With conditions worsening in FP2, the Australian remains top on combined times and fastest on Friday in another show of mastery in tricky conditions.
Reigning champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was second quickest in FP1 and again in FP2, taking P2 on the time-sheets after action ended ahead of home hero and rookie Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3). Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) completed the top four overall, despite a slightly more difficult FP2 down in 13th.
Loris Baz was another home stunner for Reale Avintia Racing to complete the top five and the Frenchman was 12th in the second session, just ahead of Crutchlow. Karel Abraham (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) was another flying the Independent Team flag, taking sixth on combined timings.
Bradley Smith took his first top ten for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in an impressive P7 in FP1 and overall on Friday, just ahead of nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP).
Alvaro Bautista was a top 10 presence in both sessions, ending Friday in ninth. Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) completed the top 10 ahead of Andrea Iannone.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) was one of only two riders to improve his lap-time despite worsened weather in FP2 and the Italian topped the time-sheets in the second session to take 13th overall, ahead of Jerez winner Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team).
Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) put on an impressive display in FP2 and was third, the Italian completing the top 15 overall just ahead of teammate and fellow FP2 front-runner Scott Redding. Redding joined ‘DesmoDovi’ as the other rider to improve in the more difficult conditions.
Lorenzo Baldassarri (Forward Racing Team) topped Moto2 on combined times, as the Italian led compatriots Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46). Remy Gardner (Tech3 Racing) was P26.
Adam Norrodin (SIC Racing Team) topped Moto3 practice, setting the best lap in FP1 and weather conditions worsening slightly by the afternoon for the Malaysian to keep his dominion at the top, despite a crash in FP2.
It was close amongst the fastest, however, with Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Niccolo Antonelli only 0.040s off Norrodin and Andrea Migno (Sky Racing Team VR46) only another 0.004 back to complete the top three.
The day marked a solid return for 2015 Moto3 world champion Danny Kent (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who returns to the fray as a wildcard, was P8 overall and second in FP2 despite a crash.