San Marino MotoGP, Misano - Free Practice (2) Results

Free Practice (2) results from the San Marino MotoGP at Misano, round 14 of 18 in the 2021 world championship.
Johann Zarco, San Marino MotoGP, 17 September 2021
Johann Zarco, San Marino MotoGP, 17 September 2021
© Gold and Goose

Johann Zarco, struggling with arm pump at recent events, edges out Aragon winnner Francesco Bagnaia to lead a wet Free Practice 2 for the 2021 San Marino MotoGP at Misano.

After a late downpour in FP1, which ultimately confirmed Aprilia's Maverick Vinales as fastest in both FP1 and day one, the sun dried out the Italian circuit - only for more rain to drench the track just before the start of the afternoon session.

The Ducatis of Jack Miller, Zarco and Bagnaia, plus Tech3 KTM's Iker Lecuona were consistently fast in the wet conditions although Lecuona, understood to be on his way to WorldSBK with Honda next season, suffered a huge highside with ten minutes to go.

Joan Mir and Marc Marquez then snatched a late fourth and fifth respectively, while Miguel Oliveira took over as the top KTM ahead of Danilo Petrucci and Aleix Espargaro's Aprilia. New team-mate Vinales, starting his second event on the RS-GP, was 17th in the wet.

World championship leader Fabio Quartararo, now a reduced 53-points clearof Bagnaia, was seventh in the dry this morning but dropped all the way down to 18th in the wet this afternoon.

With more rain forecast throughout the weekend, the top ten for direct access to Qualifying 2 could have already been decided in FP1 (see below).

Franco Morbidelli is making a return from knee surgery for his debut at Monster Yamaha, as Vinales' full-time replacement alongside Fabio Quartararo. Morbidelli was the top Yamaha in 13th this afternoon.

Taking over Morbidelli's ex-Petronas Yamaha bike is triple MotoGP title runner-up Andrea Dovizioso, the former Ducati star also remaining at what will be a restructured satellite Yamaha team for 2022. 24th and last this morning, Dovizioso was 21st and only 0.3s behind Quartararo in FP2.

Test riders Stefan Bradl (Honda) and Michele Pirro (Ducati) are making wild-card appearances.

A two-day official test will be held next week while the second Misano round, also the final home MotoGP appearance for local legend Valentino Rossi, will take place on October 22-24…

San Marino MotoGP, Misano - Free Practice (2) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP21)1'42.097s20/20292k
2Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Team (GP21)+0.553s20/21290k
3Jack MillerAUSDucati Team (GP21)+0.622s16/16289k
4Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.813s17/18283k
5Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.824s17/18286k
6Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.137s22/22283k
7Danilo PetrucciITAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+1.232s16/19286k
8Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)+1.532s10/15286k
9Iker LecuonaSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+1.625s14/14281k
10Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+1.642s19/20288k
11Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+1.663s18/18287k
12Michele PirroITADucati Team (GP21)+1.714s12/12282k
13Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.747s19/19280k
14Enea BastianiniITAAvintia Ducati (GP19)*+1.804s15/15282k
15Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP21)*+1.809s19/20290k
16Valentino RossiITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+2.033s20/20283k
17Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)+2.106s16/16286k
18Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+2.108s20/20283k
19Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+2.169s12/19287k
20Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+2.307s20/20281k
21Andrea DoviziosoITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+2.433s13/15279k
22Stefan BradlGERHRC (RC213V)+2.616s18/18284k
23Luca MariniITASky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)*+2.873s19/20281k
24Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+2.895s18/19281k

* Rookie

Top 10 Combined Practice Times:
PosRiderNatTeam
1Maverick VinalesESPAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)
2Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
3Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Team (GP21)
4Jack MillerAUSDucati Team (GP21)
5Alex RinsESPSuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
6Pol EspargaroESPRepsol Honda (RC213V)
7Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
8Stefan BradlGERHRC (RC213V)
9Marc MarquezESPRepsol Honda (RC213V)
10Aleix EspargaroESPAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)

Fastest FP1 time:
Maverick Vinales SPA Aprilia 1m 32.666s

Official Misano MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Maverick Vinales SPA Yamaha 1m 31.007s (2020)
Fastest race lap:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1m 32.319s(2020)

By Peter McLaren

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