Pecco Bagnaia returned to his MotoGP session-topping pace on Friday despite a difficult day of changeable weather at Assen.

Having looked to struggle initially in the morning’s heavy rain - while his teammate Jack Miller led the way despite moments of aquaplaning - Bagnaia was back in the grove and thoroughly enjoying the dryer afternoon.

Setting a 1’33.274 lap on his final effort of the day, he topped Friday’s standings by over three-tenths from reigning champion Fabio Quartararo, after Aprilia's Aleix Espargaro was deleted from the times following a stewards ruling over a technical infringement with his RS-GP - ‘running with a rear water spoiler whilst using slick tyres on the front and rear.’

“I'm feeling great,” Bagnaia exclaimed from Assen. “This morning I just missed the last lap and I finished 11th but my feeling was okay, it was great. This afternoon was really tough for the conditions but we waited a bit in the box to enter on track with the slick tyres and my feeling was okay.

“I feel great, everything was working well. My feeling was there like the past weekend, so was quite easy to be competitive soon. So I'm happy about that. Is not my main objective to be first today, like in Sachsenring, I just want to be competitive and ready for the race, that will be the main objective.

“For sure I prefer dry, this track on wet is a bit scary but I like the dry conditions,” he said. “Is one of my favourite tracks and I would like to enjoy like this, like I did today. So I'm happy. Looks that Sunday we can have both conditions for the race but we will try to be ready for everything.”