MotoGP: Pedrosa fastest in Aragon practice
Championship leader Marquez second, Crutchlow third
Championship leader Marquez second, Crutchlow third. PHOTO: AFP
ALCAñIZ:
Spanish rider Dani Pedrosa continued his fine form yesterday by beating out Honda teammate and MotoGP world championship leader Marc Marquez to the fastest time in practice for tomorrow’s Aragon Grand Prix.
Pedrosa claimed his first victory of a wide-open season in San Marino two weeks ago, becoming a record eighth different winner in the last eight races in the process.
The 30-year-old pipped Marquez by just 0.065sec with a best time of 1min 48.429sec in the second practice session yesterday afternoon.
Britain’s Cal Crutchlow was third with Marquez’s closest championship rival Valentino Rossi fourth.
Defending champion Jorge Lorenzo, who has won in Aragon, Spain for the past two seasons, was only seventh fastest, 0.485sec back.
Italy’s Andrea Iannone, winner of the Austrian Grand Prix last month, pulled out of the race after the first practice session citing pain from a micro-fracture in his back when he crashed in practice for the San Marino Grand Prix.
Marquez holds a comfortable 43-point lead over Valentino Rossi with just five races of the season to go. Lorenzo is 18 points further back.
The riders will have two more practice sessions before today’s qualifying session.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 24th, 2016.
Spanish rider Dani Pedrosa continued his fine form yesterday by beating out Honda teammate and MotoGP world championship leader Marc Marquez to the fastest time in practice for tomorrow’s Aragon Grand Prix.
Pedrosa claimed his first victory of a wide-open season in San Marino two weeks ago, becoming a record eighth different winner in the last eight races in the process.
The 30-year-old pipped Marquez by just 0.065sec with a best time of 1min 48.429sec in the second practice session yesterday afternoon.
Britain’s Cal Crutchlow was third with Marquez’s closest championship rival Valentino Rossi fourth.
Defending champion Jorge Lorenzo, who has won in Aragon, Spain for the past two seasons, was only seventh fastest, 0.485sec back.
Italy’s Andrea Iannone, winner of the Austrian Grand Prix last month, pulled out of the race after the first practice session citing pain from a micro-fracture in his back when he crashed in practice for the San Marino Grand Prix.
Marquez holds a comfortable 43-point lead over Valentino Rossi with just five races of the season to go. Lorenzo is 18 points further back.
The riders will have two more practice sessions before today’s qualifying session.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 24th, 2016.