Michael Scott | September 22, 2017
MotoGP Motorland Aragon FP2 Update – The weather had it in for MotoGP at Aragon, with rain spots starting exactly as the premier class went out for FP1 in the morning, and doing the same thing in the afternoon.
MotoGP Motorland Aragon FP2 Update
It meant a slow start, but by the afternoon with conditions mildly improving the pace warmed up and the contest claimed more attention, with Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa slotting into the top position in the closing stages, ousting Jorge Lorenzo’s late-coming Ducati.
At the same time, Johann Zarco went third on the Monster Yamaha, making it three different bikes in the top three.
Lap times on wet tires were some 10 seconds down, with Pedrosa the first and only rider to dip under two minutes.
His teammate Marc Marquez had led early on as well as in the morning (when Dani was second), and ended up fourth.
Karel Abraham (Aspar Ducati) was a surprise fifth, after tailing Pedrosa on his fast lap.
Cal Crutchlow made it three Hondas in the top six; Sam Lowes exceeded his usual form to put his Aprilia seventh, one place ahead of slow starter Andrea Dovizioso. While Lorenzo used the full aero Ducati bodywork, Dovi again stuck with the original unadorned fairing.
There were no spills, which is in itself suggestive of a lack of commitment, so the significance of times remains to be seen in the expected improved conditions.
All the same, the factory Movistar Yamaha riders might be concerned, with Maverick Vinales down in 17th, almost two seconds behind, and Valentino Rossi 20th.
MotoGP Motorland Aragon FP2 Update
Valentino Rossi’s racing return, on the 22nd day after breaking both bones in his lower right leg, was made more difficult and paradoxically more easy by bad weather. Light rain made a slippery track and brought out the worst in the Yamaha. At the same time, however, it made the physical task of riding the bike less demanding.
Rossi used specially lowered footpegs and, in the afternoon, extra padding in his leathers. These apart, it was a normal day—and while he ended up 20th. This was only three places and three tenths down on teammate Maverick Vinales.
At one point in FP2, Rossi was second fastest. But he ran only 12 laps in both sessions, compared with 21 for Vinales, and 27 for the diligent (and third-fastest) Zarco. He was walking without crutches, but was notably slow in the practice bike-swap at the end of GP2.
The padding was a foam cushion around a slightly protruding bolt fixing the top end of the pin in his leg, after some pain and a little swelling after the morning run.
MotoGP Motorland Aragon FP2 Update
“I’m quite happy,” said Rossi, “because I feel comfortable on the bike. I was good already from this morning and also because the leg, after two practice sessions, is in a good condition, I don’t feel a lot of pain,
“For sure in the wet it’s a bit easier, less demanding to ride the bike, but I hope we will have better weather conditions tomorrow and on Sunday, in order to try to understand my level on the dry and also so we can work on the setting and the tires.”
Although Michael van der Mark was standing by to take over, there was no question of him withdrawing.
The day before, he had admitted that at first he had planned to return only for Motegi in three weeks, but the quick recovery and good condition of his broken right leg persuaded him to get back on the bike as soon as possible.
Suzuki’s MotoGP riders Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins reverted to the “standard” chassis at Aragon, after plans to test revised equipment after the last race at Misano were thwarted by bad weather.
“We had a lot of things to test, but in the end it was wet, and only Sylvain Guintoli rode,” said team boss Davide Brivio.
The Ecstar-backed factory team shifted the test until after the Aragon race. “We will stay on and test on Tuesday and Wednesday,” said Brivio.
