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Aragon Grand Prix: Marquez masters Motorland on Day 1

Maverick Vinales was fastest from Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team-mate Valentino Rossi in FP2 as the duo complete the top three.

Marq Marquez

Bengaluru, September 21: Marc Marquez's incredible 1:46.869 in FP1 saw the reigning world champion sit over a second clear of the field after Day 1 at the Aragon Grand Prix, with the number 93 pushing for a hot lap early in the day and that proving unassailable thereafter.

Maverick Vinales was fastest from Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team-mate Valentino Rossi in FP2 as the duo complete the top three on the combined standings, but the headlines remained Marquez' awesome show of speed in the first session of the weekend - despite a crash in the afternoon.

And joining the top three in that top ten as it stands were many a usual suspect - with Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) one surprising name to be left out. If it's wet in FP3, the Silverstone winner may have his work cut out.

Rins is joined by the likes of Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) in looking up at the sky on Saturday (September 22) morning and hoping it's dry. Will the weather hold for FP3?

Let's wait and watch!

Quartararo fourth

Quartararo fourth

There were no such issues for Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) as the French rookie showed off his now customary impressive pace by taking fourth and ending the day as top Independent Team rider.

'El Diablo' slotted in just behind the Monster Energy Yamaha duo of Vinales and Rossi in FP2, with the Iwata marque dominating the afternoon...although Marquez' morning hot lap remained out of reach.

Vinales charges

Vinales charges

Vinales spent much of that afternoon chipping away at his rival's advantage and a few positions chopped and changed in the top five and ten, but a late rush for provisional graduation to Q2 soon changed the tone again.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's man of the moment Pol Espargaro impressed again as after a solid FP1 within the top ten, the Spaniard ended the day in an ever-impressive P5 overall.

Rossi boost

Rossi boost

Rossi was one who needed a boost up the order after finishing FP1 outside the top 15, and Quartararo was on the edge too.

Ultimately, both would shoot up the timesheets and safely end the day in P3 and P4 respectively.

Dovizioso pushes

Dovizioso pushes

Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) slipped from fifth to sixth overall, although the KTM ahead only got the better of him by an infinitesimal 0.050, with LCR Honda Castrol's Cal Crutchlow then even closer in seventh - only 0.008 in further arrears.

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) kept the trend going as he ended the day only 0.027 off Crutchlow; the Italian finishing eighth by the end of the day after ending FP1 in P4.

(By a special arrangement with Dorna Sports)

Story first published: Saturday, September 21, 2019, 13:05 [IST]
Other articles published on Sep 21, 2019