ZARCO FASTEST FROM MILLER ON DAY 1
MotoGP returned to the Circuit of the Americas in Texas with a couple of Ducatis fastest on Day 1, Johann Zarco a couple of tenths ahead of Australian Jack Miller.
It was a day of surprises with a number of names outside of the top 10 on the combined timesheet.
After missing the last two races factory Honda rider Marc Marquez returned to a circuit at which he has had so much success and found himself within the top 10, while championship leader and most recent race winner Aleix Espargaro is outside.
Times were a lot faster in the second free practice as the track had rubbered in a lot more, in that session the fast man was Pramac Ducati rider Johann Zarco, who edged out his factory Ducati brand mate Miller by 0.247s.
After a disappointing round in Argentina reigning champion Fabio Quartararo ended the day with the third fastest time.
The Round 1 winner Enea Bastianini had a good day at the office to finish P4, 0.342s off the pace set by Zarco.
Factory Suzuki rider Alex Rins was fastest in the first session and the first to jump onto new soft tyres setting a blistering time. By the end of the session, he was pushed back to fifth but the #42 Suzuki had good pace.
The recovering Marc Marquez ended the day sixth fastest on his return, just under 0.5s off the time set by Zarco.
There was a good mixture of manufacturers in the top 10 with Aprilia rider Maverick Vinales ending up seventh on the timesheets, just ahead of another couple of Ducatis in the hands of Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin.
Aleix Espargaro has work to do in FP3 if he’s to grab an automatic Q2 place, the Spaniard missed sits just 0.015s back in 11th place.
Factory Honda rider Pol Espargaro has been on the pace so far this season, however battling a stomach bug on Day 1, he finished in 12th ahead of the fastest KTM rider Brad Binder, he was the rider on a KTM within a second of Zarco’s 2m 02.542s time.
The other Australian Remy Gardner on his Tech3 KTM ended the day as the 20th fastest rider several places ahead of his teammate Raul Fernandez.
For more of the latest motorsport news pick up the current issue of Auto Action.
