Michael Scott | April 6, 2018
Rain had been forecast for all three days of practice and racing at Argentina’s Termas de Rio Hondo circuit. It struck during the first afternoon, but only intermittently … so that fears that the morning times might prove crucial for MotoGP’s qualifying session were blown away as several riders went faster in the afternoon.
2018 Argentina MotoGP Friday Results
Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez topped Friday practice at the 2018 Argentina Grand Prix. (Gold & Goose photo)
But should the forecasts prove more dependable tomorrow morning, then today’s times might determine the top ten to secure safe passage directly into the “senior” Q2.
This is potentially bad news for Qatar winner Andrea Dovizioso. The factory Ducati was a surprise last-placer in the afternoon, and dropped to 15th overall.
Hondas took the top honours with Marc Marquez setting one best lap after another to end up on top. His Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa did not improve, but was fastest in the morning and still third overall; while LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow managed to squeeze himself in between them.
The other two GP18 Ducatis fared no better than Dovi. His team-mate Jorge Lorenzo was 16th on combined times, and satellite Pramac rider Danilo Petrucci 14th.
Ducati’s hero came from an unexpected quarter, as Reale Avintia rider Tito Rabat placed third in the afternoon session and fourth overall – a huge turnaround for the former Moto2 champion, after two dire seasons on a satellite Honda.
Andrea Iannone was fifth, his Ecstar Suzuki team-mate Alex Rins eighth.
The two factory Movistar Yamahas also speeded up to set times in between them; Maverick Vinales up to sixth, and Rossi eighth.
Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha) was ninth, with Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati) hanging on to a top-ten slot, both by virtue of morning times.
With the seldom-used circuit (also partially resurfaced) still green, times were relatively slow, some 1.5 seconds off the 4.806-km Argentine circuit’s best lap. Times at the top were also quite spread out, with Marquez four tenths clear of Crutchlow, and Pedrosa another half-second slower.
2018 Argentina MotoGP Friday Results
GRAN PREMIO MOTUL DE LA REPÚBLICA ARGENTINA
MotoGP Free Practice Nr. 2 Classification 2018
| 1 |
93 |
Marc MARQUEZ |
SPA |
Repsol Honda Team |
Honda |
325.0 |
1’39.395 |
|
| 2 |
35 |
Cal CRUTCHLOW |
GBR |
LCR Honda CASTROL |
Honda |
325.7 |
1’39.799 |
0.404 / 0.404 |
| 3 |
53 |
Tito RABAT |
SPA |
Reale Avintia Racing |
Ducati |
324.8 |
1’40.346 |
0.951 / 0.547 |
| 4 |
29 |
Andrea IANNONE |
ITA |
Team SUZUKI ECSTAR |
Suzuki |
316.8 |
1’40.455 |
1.060 / 0.109 |
| 5 |
26 |
Dani PEDROSA |
SPA |
Repsol Honda Team |
Honda |
319.3 |
1’40.494 |
1.099 / 0.039 |
| 6 |
25 |
Maverick VIÑALES |
SPA |
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP |
Yamaha |
320.6 |
1’40.510 |
1.115 / 0.016 |
| 7 |
46 |
Valentino ROSSI |
ITA |
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP |
Yamaha |
317.9 |
1’40.577 |
1.182 / 0.067 |
| 8 |
42 |
Alex RINS |
SPA |
Team SUZUKI ECSTAR |
Suzuki |
318.0 |
1’40.592 |
1.197 / 0.015 |
| 9 |
19 |
Alvaro BAUTISTA |
SPA |
Angel Nieto Team |
Ducati |
320.5 |
1’40.766 |
1.371 / 0.174 |
| 10 |
41 |
Aleix ESPARGARO |
SPA |
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini |
Aprilia |
314.0 |
1’40.800 |
1.405 / 0.034 |
| 11 |
45 |
Scott REDDING |
GBR |
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini |
Aprilia |
314.2 |
1’40.839 |
1.444 / 0.039 |
| 12 |
43 |
Jack MILLER |
AUS |
Alma Pramac Racing |
Ducati |
316.9 |
1’40.842 |
1.447 / 0.003 |
| 13 |
9 |
Danilo PETRUCCI |
ITA |
Alma Pramac Racing |
Ducati |
327.3 |
1’40.863 |
1.468 / 0.021 |
| 14 |
5 |
Johann ZARCO |
FRA |
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 |
Yamaha |
319.4 |
1’40.974 |
1.579 / 0.111 |
| 15 |
38 |
Bradley SMITH |
GBR |
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing |
KTM |
318.0 |
1’41.198 |
1.803 / 0.224 |
| 16 |
55 |
Hafizh SYAHRIN |
MAL |
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 |
Yamaha |
315.6 |
1’41.257 |
1.862 / 0.059 |
| 17 |
99 |
Jorge LORENZO |
SPA |
Ducati Team |
Ducati |
323.5 |
1’41.334 |
1.939 / 0.077 |
| 18 |
30 |
Takaaki NAKAGAMI |
JPN |
LCR Honda IDEMITSU |
Honda |
314.4 |
1’41.357 |
1.962 / 0.023 |
| 19 |
17 |
Karel ABRAHAM |
CZE |
Angel Nieto Team |
Ducati |
322.6 |
1’41.784 |
2.389 / 0.427 |
| 20 |
21 |
Franco MORBIDELLI |
ITA |
EG 0,0 Marc VDS |
Honda |
313.8 |
1’41.832 |
2.437 / 0.048 |
| 21 |
44 |
Pol ESPARGARO |
SPA |
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing |
KTM |
320.5 |
1’41.867 |
2.472 / 0.035 |
| 22 |
12 |
Thomas LUTHI |
SWI |
EG 0,0 Marc VDS |
Honda |
314.4 |
1’41.898 |
2.503 / 0.031 |
| 23 |
10 |
Xavier SIMEON |
BEL |
Reale Avintia Racing |
Ducati |
320.3 |
1’42.242 |
2.847 / 0.344 |
| 24 |
4 |
Andrea DOVIZIOSO |
ITA |
Ducati Team |
Ducati |
319.4 |
1’42.973 |
3.578 / 0.731 |
