Aragon MotoGP, MotorLand - Free Practice (2) Results

Free Practice (2) results from the Aragon MotoGP at MotorLand, round 13 of the 2021 world championship.
Jack Miller Aragon MotoGP, 10 September 2021
Jack Miller Aragon MotoGP, 10 September 2021
© Gold and Goose Photography

Jack Miller and Ducati top a hot and sunny Free Practice 2 for the 2021 Aragon MotoGP.

Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow, replacing Maverick Vinales at the Factory Yamaha team for the second event in a row, was jubliant at snatching a late second place, which ultimately became third when Aleix Espargaro put his Aprilia next best behind Miller.

Espargaro's new team-mate Vinales improved from +2.139s this morning to +1.142s in the afternoon, despite an earlier scare when he clipped the inside kerb through the final corner, sending the bike bucking.

After dominating the morning session, Marc Marquez was visibly angry after falling early in FP2 when he almost clipped the back of brother Alex's bike on entry to the fast final corner, sending him offline before losing the front and heavily damaging his RC213V.

The Repsol Honda rider - seeking his fifth Aragon win in a row (after missing the 2020 races through injury) at one of his favourite anti-clockwise tracks - returned to finish a subdued 20th, but remained inside the combined top ten.

Francesco Bagnaia was next to fall, the Ducati rider spinning off at Turn 5 as he clipped the inside kerb with 15 minutes gone before recovering to sixth. World championship leader Fabio Quartararo took seventh in FP2 at his 'worst' circuit after appearing to suffer a bee sting in his helmet.

Jake Dixon remains at Petronas Yamaha on the injured Franco Morbidelli's 2019 A-spec bike this weekend. Dixon remained in 22nd but closed the gap from +3.140s this morning to 2.374s this afternoon.

Suzuki's Joan Mir could only manage 21st this afternoon.

Aragon MotoGP, MotorLand - Free Practice (2) Results
Pos RiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1^4Jack MillerAUSDucati Team (GP21)1'47.613s15/17344k
2^4Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)+0.273s18/19346k
3^9Cal CrutchlowGBRMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.284s17/19341k
4^3Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP21)+0.375s18/18346k
5^12Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP21)*+0.410s17/17345k
6˅3Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Team (GP21)+0.419s15/15350k
7^1Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.421s16/17337k
8^1Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+0.444s17/19344k
9^2Enea BastianiniITAAvintia Ducati (GP19)*+0.473s16/17344k
10=Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.553s15/16348k
11^3Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.654s20/20342k
12^9Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.665s16/17345k
13˅9Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+0.701s17/19343k
14˅1Danilo PetrucciITAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+0.738s16/17339k
15=Luca MariniITASky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)*+0.843s18/18342k
16=Iker LecuonaSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+0.913s15/18340k
17^1Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.010s3/20345k
18^2Valentino RossiITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.036s15/17341k
19=Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)+1.142s20/20342k
20˅19Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+1.214s8/15347k
21˅19Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+1.273s11/16342k
22=Jake DixonGBRPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+2.374s11/17337k
Key:
^X Rider is X positions higher than FP1.
= Rider is same position as FP1.
˅X Rider is X positions lower than FP1.

* Rookie

Top 10 Combined Practice Times:
PosRiderNatTeam
1Jack MillerAUSDucati Team (GP21)
2Aleix EspargaroESPAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)
3Cal CrutchlowGBRMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
4Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP21)
5Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP21)*
6Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Team (GP21)
7Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
8Marc MarquezESPRepsol Honda (RC213V)
9Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)
10Enea BastianiniITAAvintia Esponsorama (GP19)*

Official Aragon MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 1m 46.635s (2015)
Fastest race lap:
Franco Morbidelli ITA Yamaha 1m 48.249s(2020)

By Peter McLaren

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