Andalucia MotoGP: Vinales and Rossi quell KTM challenge

Bengaluru, July 25: Maverick Vinales and team-mate Valentino Rossi made it a Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP 1-2 in the free practice session of the Andalucia Grand Prix, holding back an incredible charge from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Brad Binder as the rookie completed the top three in another impressive showing at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto.

Once again it was FP1 laps that decided the combined timesheets for many in the field, and a good few familiar faces need to move forward in FP3 to make it to Q2.

With the weather as scorching as ever in southern Spain and looking unlikely to change overnight, however, there is plenty time for the field to fight back to get into Q2, including Spanish GP winner Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) as the Frenchman ended the day outside the top ten once again - just as he did a week ago.

The field heads out for FP3 at 9:55 am local time (1.25pm) on Saturday before qualifying to decide the grid for the Andalucia GP begins from 2.10pm local time (5.40pm IST). The race proper will be held on Sunday at 2pm local time (5.30pm IST).

Cat and mouse game

It did get a little racy for 'El Diablo' in FP2 though, with Vinales tagging onto the back of Quartararo at the beginning of the session and the two heading round in a brief cat and mouse with a number of laps close together.

Later in the session, the Frenchman kicked up some dust as he ran afoul of track limits too, although no harm done.

Dramatic day

Rossi had a less dramatic day as the 'Doctor' was back near the top of the time-sheets from his FP1 time, and remained within a couple of tenths of team-mate Vinales in FP2.

That could bode well after a podium for the latter last week, and given the temperatures in the second session mirror race time more closely.

Independent rider

Protege of sorts Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) was a fitting 0.046 off the nine-time world champion on the combined timesheets too.

The number 21 took P4 overall, ending the day as top Independent Team rider.

Incredible Binder

Then came the rest of the KTM armada, as the top six was a tale of two factories: Yamaha and KTM.

Binder's incredible P3, off the back of race-leading pace shown in the Spanish GP despite his early run off relegating him from the top ten, backs up both the South African's speed and that of KTM.

(By a special arrangement with Dorna Sports)