Morbidelli from Zarco in FP3 as Dovizioso misses Q2 cut

Franco Mobidelli sets the pace for Petronas SRT Yamaha in MotoGP Brno FP3 from Johann Zarco, as Ducati otherwise struggles down the order

Ollie Barstow

08 Aug 2020

Morbidelli from Zarco in FP3 as Dovizioso misses Q2 cut

2020 Czech Republic MotoGP - Free Practice Results (3)

Franco Morbidelli ascended to the top of the timesheets in third free practice for the 2020 Czech Republic MotoGP, round three of the 2020 MotoGP season, as Andrea Dovizioso gave himself work to do again by failing to make the Q2 cut.

With riders taking some time to make an impression on the overnight standings, a flurry of quick laps in the final minutes made the difference with Morbidelli – who was only 0.007s shy of Fabio Quartararo’s top time on Friday – moving to the front with a new weekend-best of 1m 56.037s.

Petronas SRT Yamaha looked to be heading for another 1-2 before Johann Zarco popped up into second position aboard the year-old Avintia Ducati at the flag, the Frenchman compounding the manufacturer’s concerns over its current machine after only one of its three GP20s ensured their route to Q2 with Danilo Petrucci on the bubble in tenth.

Instead, both Dovizioso and Jack Miller – podium winners in Brno last year – will have to go through Q1 to ensure a starting spot on the front four rows later this afternoon.

Championship leader Quartararo turned in the third fastest time, ahead of top KTM rider Pol Espargaro in fourth position and Valentino Rossi, whose late improvement lifted him to fifth position.

Despite his criticism of the bumpy Brno circuit, Aleix Espargaro hooked it up to secure Aprilia’s first Q2 showing of 2020 with a strong run to sixth position, ahead of Joan Mir on the best of the Suzukis, while Cal Crutchlow’s late improvement on the LCR Honda ensured all manufacturers will be represented in Q2 later today.

Maverick Vinales made it four Yamahas inside the top ten in ninth place, ahead of sole Ducati factory representative Petrucci, himself less than a tenth ahead of the injured Alex Rins, who just missed the cut having wrestled the Suzuki further up the timesheets.

Takaaki Nakagami was 12th best on the second of the LCR Hondas, ahead of Dovizioso and FP2 standout Miguel Oliveira, who ruined his hopes of progressing in Q2 directly for the first time when he crashed late on at the final corner complex.