Michael Scott | October 20, 2017
Phillip Island’s reputation as a track that favours riding skill over mechanical strength got a fillip on the first day of free practice for Sunday’s Australian GP, when Aleix Espargaro put the Aprilia in a surprise top spot.
Dry though windy weather favoured close times, and the Spaniard was only 0.005 of a second ahead of race favourite Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), with his title rival Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) just another 0.09 of a second slower, and the top 16 riders all within one second, round the scenic and rhythmic 4.448-km seaside circuit south of Melbourne.
“It is just the first day, but we are clearly doing a great job. I am proud to be part of this project,” said Espargaro, who had qualified a best-yet fourth at Motegi, and finished a best-yet sixth at the previous round at Aragon.
Marquez was happy enough, saying: “We started with a good base set-up;” while Dovizioso – winner of a titanic last-lap battle with the Honda rider last weekend in Motegi – said “it was important to start the weekend in this way”.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) was a close fifth; while Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha) bounced back from a high-speed crash to take fifth.
As impressive as anybody, Jack Miller (VDS Honda) slotted into a close sixth, in his second day back on a motorcycle since breaking his leg on September 29 (see News story).
As ever, but possibly more acutely given the island’s reputation for fickle weather and frequent sudden squalls, today’s time might easily determine which riders will go directly to Q2 in tomorrow’s qualifying session.
Andrea Iannone (Ecstar Suzuki), Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha), Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM) completed the crucial top ten.
This left Ducati’s Jorge Lorenzo and Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi – 11th and 12th – facing the prospect of having to go through Q1 in a quest to make the front four rows of the grid. Last weekend’s podium finisher Danilo Petrucci (Octo Ducati) was in the same boat, placed 17t, one behind team-mate Scott Redding.
As well as Vinales, Bautista and Rabat both fell unhurt; as well as Australian Broc Parkes, subbing for the absent Monster Yamaha rider Jonas Folger.
Uncertain weather is forecast for tomorrow, and rain for race day on Sunday.
Moto2
Positions are less crucial for the smaller classes, with a conventional qualifying session tomorrow open to all, and Moto2 timing had another surprise, with Taka Nakagami (Idemitsu Kalex) almost seven tenths clear of a tightly packed field.
The Japanese rider had led the morning session as well.
Times were close thereafter, with one second covering from Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Kalex) in second to Tech 3 rider Remy Gardner in 21st.
Title leader Franco Morbidelli (VDS Kalex) was fifth, with both Domi Aegerter (Kiefer Suter) and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM) faster.
With top rookie Pecco Bagnaia (SKY VR46 Kalex) and Alex Marquez (VDS Honda) in sixth and seventh; the last remaining title challenger, Tom Luthi (CarXpert Kalex) was eighth.
- The session was strewn with crashes, with Luthi just one victim. Simone Corsi also fall, as did Jorge Navarro, Fabio Quartararo, Lorenzo Baldassarri, Luca Marini and Tarran Mackenzie (twice), his first tumble shedding bodywork on the track and bringing out the red flags.
Moto3
Moto3 champion elect Joan Mir came back from his pointless run in the rain at Motegi to head the practice sheets on day one, with his last remaining rival Romano Fenati placed sixth, some eight tenths of a second slower.
But Fenati (Rivacold Honda) had a difficult start to the day, missing most of the morning session after being lucky to escape unhurt from a fast looping high-side crash; while Mir (Leopard Honda) had a calm and smooth day.
Aron Canet (EG Honda) also crashed in the morning, but moved to second overall in the afternoon, with the KTMs of Bo Bendsneyder and Gabriel Rodrigo next, before the Hondas of Jorge Martin and Fenati.