Cheste (Spain) (AFP) – Italian Danilo Petrucci, on a Ducati Pramac, posted the fastest time Saturday morning in the final free practice session for the Moto GP in Valencia while the Yamahas struggled.
Spaniard Maverick Vinales could only finish 11th while his Yamaha teammate Italian Valentino Rossi came off his bike and finished 14th.
They had to ride in the first qualifying session at the start of the afternoon to earn a place in Q2, when places at the front of the grid are decided.
They were not the only stragglers. Another Italian, Andrea Iannone of Suzuki, was 13th and Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati), returning after a wrist injury, finished 17th.
The gaps between the quickest riders over the three sessions were tiny. Spaniard Marc Marquez (Honda), already assured of the world title, was second just 0.055 seconds behind Petrucci, with Italian Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) third, 0.088sec off first place, and Australian Jack Miller (Ducati Pramac) at 0.161.
Best free practice times for Sunday’s Moto GP on the Ricardo Tormo circuit (4.005 km):
1. Danilo Petrucci (ITA/Ducati Pramac) 1min 39.712sec, 2. Marc Marquez (ESP/Honda) at 0.055sec, 3. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Ducati) 0.088, 4. Jack Miller (AUS/Ducati Pramac) 0.161, 5. Johann Zarco (FRA/Yamaha Tech3) 0.429, 6. Dani Pedrosa (ESP/Honda) 0.473, 7. Pol Espargaro (ESP/KTM) 0.563, 8. Alex Rins (ESP/Suzuki) 0.705, 9. Aleix Espargaro (ESP/Aprilia) 0.818, 10. Michele Pirro (ITA/Ducati) 0.874, 11. Maverick Vinales (ESP/Yamaha) 0.935
Selected other times: 13. Andrea Iannone (ITA/Suzuki) 0.973, 14. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha) 1.038, 17. Jorge Lorenzo (ESP/Ducati) 1.314
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