2016 Argentina MotoGP FP2 Result: Marquez Leads A (Mostly) Honda Armada

Submitted by Mike Lewis on Fri, 2016-04-01 18:06

With worries of Saturday rain making the second free practice mimic the upcoming third, Marc Marquez grabbed the top spot early in the tense session and held on Friday at the Termas de Rio Honda circuit in Argentina.

Marquez 1’41.579 put him a mere two-hundredths of a second clear of second-fastest Dani Pedrosa. Maverick Vinales overcame a mid session crash to take the third fastest time on his Suzuki, the lone non Honda in the top-five. Jack Miller, ended his FP2 in fourth after holding the second-fastest time for part of the 45-minute session. Cal Crutchlow set a fast lap late to take fifth.

With rain predicted for Saturday's FP3, riders used FP2 to try to establish a top-ten lap time if the FP3 times are slower. If riders don't improve in Saturday's free practice, then the combined times from Friday count toward Q1 and Q2 round placement.

Scott Redding (6th) also saved his best for late in the session to finish just in front of Valentino Rossi (7th), race winner here last year. Aleix Espargaro managed eighth after two FP2 crashes. Bradley Smith (9th) and Andrea Dovizioso (10th) rounded out the top 10. A clearly frustrated Jorge Lorenzo -- 2015 World Champion and winner at round one this year in Qatar -- dropped to 14th late in the session after climbing as high as third early on.

Results:

Pos.	No.	Rider	Bike	Time	Diff. / Prev.
1	93	Marc MARQUEZ	Honda	1'41.579
2	26	Dani PEDROSA	Honda	1'41.604	0.025 / 0.025
3	25	Maverick VIÑALES	Suzuki	1'42.047	0.468 / 0.443
4	43	Jack MILLER	Honda	1'42.375	0.796 / 0.328
5	35	Cal CRUTCHLOW	Honda	1'42.451	0.872 / 0.076
6	45	Scott REDDING	Ducati	1'42.458	0.879 / 0.007
7	46	Valentino ROSSI	Yamaha	1'42.565	0.986 / 0.107
8	41	Aleix ESPARGARO	Suzuki	1'42.576	0.997 / 0.011
9	38	Bradley SMITH	Yamaha	1'42.595	1.016 / 0.019
10	4	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	Ducati	1'42.635	1.056 / 0.040
11	8	Hector BARBERA	Ducati	1'42.664	1.085 / 0.029
12	50	Eugene LAVERTY	Ducati	1'42.724	1.145 / 0.060
13	44	Pol ESPARGARO	Yamaha	1'42.774	1.195 / 0.050
14	99	Jorge LORENZO	Yamaha	1'42.819	1.240 / 0.045
15	29	Andrea IANNONE	Ducati	1'42.953	1.374 / 0.134
16	76	Loris BAZ	Ducati	1'43.054	1.475 / 0.101
17	68	Yonny HERNANDEZ	Ducati	1'43.242	1.663 / 0.188
18	53	Tito RABAT	Honda	1'43.538	1.959 / 0.296
19	19	Alvaro BAUTISTA	Aprilia	1'43.800	2.221 / 0.262
20	6	Stefan BRADL	Aprilia	1'43.892	2.313 / 0.092
	51	Michele PIRRO	Ducati