Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa has taken charge at the top of the Aragon MotoGP free practice timesheets this afternoon as the only rider to dip under the two-minute barrier in a wet second session but it was disaster for countryman Maverick Vinales who only hauled his way off the bottom of the table with his last lap.
Vinales was stone last as he exited for his final run with the 2018-spec Movistar Yamaha. His first flying lap saw him come up to 21st before the final effort saw the Spaniard claim 17th but he is still 1.8s off the pace as he continues to struggle for pace in wet conditions.
Valentino Rossi was right at the sharp end early on as the track was still sopping wet, but as it dried The Doctor slid down the order to 20th place with a 2’01.917 but is still only two seconds off the pace with a recently-broken leg.
There were no issues for Pedrosa who set a 1’59.858 for a two-tenth advantage over Ducati’s Jorge Lorenzo while Johann Zarco ended as easily the leading Yamaha, setting a 2’00.320 on his 16th lap on the soft wet Michelins.
Aspar Ducati’s Karel Abraham followed Pedrosa around to set his best time, a 2’00.471 for fifth place which was enough to stay ahead of Britain’s Cal Crutchlow. Aprilia’s Sam Lowes finished in seventh place with a 2’00.585 on his penultimate lap.
Andrea Dovizoso only did a total of six laps and ended 1.104s off the pace in eighth with the Espargaro brothers in close attendance. Jack Miller stayed ahead of Bradley Smith for 12th place with Andrea Iannone and wildcard Mika Kallio completing the top 15.
