2018 Thailand MotoGP Friday Results
Lap times confounded the prophets of doom on the first day of free practice for the first Thai GP on Friday, when factory Yamaha rider Maverick Vinales was fastest in the morning, and a close second in the afternoon.
2018 Thailand MotoGP Friday Results
The prophet in question was Vinales himself, full of gloomy prognosis for the close of the season, after the last round in Aragon set a new 24-race winless record for Yamaha.
Team-mate Valentino Rossi had likewise, on Thursday, said that “on paper this track will not be good for our bike”; but managed to place ninth, only three tenths down on provisional pole-setter Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati).
The MotoGP riders tested at the 4.554-km Chang circuit before the season, but to an extent it was “start-again”, with Michelin furnishing an all-new harder-construction rear tyre after experience high temperatures at the test. Conditions were scorching again today, with track temperature 54 degrees C; but with rain always possible it was important to set a top-ten time to secure a potential place in tomorrow’s senior Q2 qualifying.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) slotted into third at the end of the session, consigning Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) to fourth, as the title leader concentrated on a long run on a hard-front/soft-rear tyre combination to check race endurance, rather than fitting a soft front for a single lap time.
Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Ducati) was fifth, with Andrea Iannone (Ecstar Suzuki) next.
Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Ducati) set seventh-fastest time before a slight spill at the end of the session; with testing leader Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) eighth, one slot ahead of Rossi.
Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha) consigned Jack Miller’s Alma Pramac Ducati to 11th at the end of the session.
Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati), already riding injured, crashed heavily with 15 minutes to go (see separate News story) and ended up 16th.
PTT THAILAND GRAND PRIX
MotoGP Free Practice Nr. 2 Classification 2018
Buriram, Friday, October 05, 2018
| 1 | 4 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 326.5 | 1’31.090 | |
| 2 | 25 | Maverick VIÑALES | SPA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 323.2 | 1’31.121 | 0.031 / 0.031 |
| 3 | 35 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | GBR | LCR Honda CASTROL | Honda | 326.8 | 1’31.164 | 0.074 / 0.043 |
| 4 | 93 | Marc MARQUEZ | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 325.1 | 1’31.188 | 0.098 / 0.024 |
| 5 | 9 | Danilo PETRUCCI | ITA | Alma Pramac Racing | Ducati | 327.6 | 1’31.238 | 0.148 / 0.050 |
| 6 | 29 | Andrea IANNONE | ITA | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | 320.4 | 1’31.256 | 0.166 / 0.018 |
| 7 | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | Angel Nieto Team | Ducati | 324.3 | 1’31.378 | 0.288 / 0.122 |
| 8 | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 325.2 | 1’31.385 | 0.295 / 0.007 |
| 9 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 321.4 | 1’31.398 | 0.308 / 0.013 |
| 10 | 5 | Johann ZARCO | FRA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 322.1 | 1’31.421 | 0.331 / 0.023 |
| 11 | 43 | Jack MILLER | AUS | Alma Pramac Racing | Ducati | 322.0 | 1’31.486 | 0.396 / 0.065 |
| 12 | 21 | Franco MORBIDELLI | ITA | EG 0,0 Marc VDS | Honda | 320.2 | 1’31.647 | 0.557 / 0.161 |
| 13 | 30 | Takaaki NAKAGAMI | JPN | LCR Honda IDEMITSU | Honda | 319.0 | 1’31.714 | 0.624 / 0.067 |
| 14 | 38 | Bradley SMITH | GBR | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 319.6 | 1’31.841 | 0.751 / 0.127 |
| 15 | 42 | Alex RINS | SPA | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | 320.1 | 1’31.929 | 0.839 / 0.088 |
| 16 | 99 | Jorge LORENZO | SPA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 324.8 | 1’32.027 | 0.937 / 0.098 |
| 17 | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARO | SPA | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 321.6 | 1’32.067 | 0.977 / 0.040 |
| 18 | 55 | Hafizh SYAHRIN | MAL | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 319.0 | 1’32.177 | 1.087 / 0.110 |
| 19 | 17 | Karel ABRAHAM | CZE | Angel Nieto Team | Ducati | 323.1 | 1’32.403 | 1.313 / 0.226 |
| 20 | 44 | Pol ESPARGARO | SPA | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 320.5 | 1’32.475 | 1.385 / 0.072 |
| 21 | 45 | Scott REDDING | GBR | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 320.2 | 1’32.650 | 1.560 / 0.175 |
| 22 | 12 | Thomas LUTHI | SWI | EG 0,0 Marc VDS | Honda | 315.7 | 1’32.661 | 1.571 / 0.011 |
| 23 | 10 | Xavier SIMEON | BEL | Reale Avintia Racing | Ducati | 322.9 | 1’32.989 | 1.899 / 0.328 |
| 24 | 81 | Jordi TORRES | SPA | Reale Avintia Racing | Ducati | 323.0 | 1’33.503 | 2.413 / 0.514 |
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