Brno (Czech Republic) (AFP)
Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha-SRT) was the fastest Friday after the first two free practice sessions of the Czech Grand Prix, the 10th round of the World Championship taking place on Sunday in Brno.
The 20-year-old French "rookie" achieved the 5,403 km of the Brno circuit in 1 min 55 sec and 802/1000. He is 23 / 1000th ahead of Spain's five-time world champion and provisional leader Marc Marquez (Honda), and 269 / 1000th Australian Jack Miller and Italian Andrea Dovizioso, both on Ducati.
MotoGP rookie this season, "El Diablo", who says he likes Brno very much, has already secured three poles and two podiums since the start of the Championship.
He occupies the 8th provisional place in the overall standings, dominated largely by Marquez, well on his way to his 6th crown thanks to his five victories obtained before the summer break which give him 58 points ahead of Dovizioso.
"Dovi" was fastest in the first free practice session earlier in the day, while Quartararo was only 18th.
Another Frenchman, Sylvain Guintoli, who participates in the Grand Prix of the Czech Republic as a wild card for Suzuki, clocked the 17th fastest time of the day, 1 sec 296 / 1000th of the young Niçois.
Guintoli has already been engaged in wild card at Montmelo where he scored the 3 points, thanks to 13th place.
The third driver tricolor, Johann Zarco (KTM), was ranked 20th.
The second free practice session was faster than the first one on the Brno circuit, one of the most complete of the Championship.
The FP3 will be played Saturday, before qualifying. The start of the race will be given Sunday at 14:00 (12:00 GMT).
Combined ranking of the first 2 free practice sessions of the Czech Republic Grand Prix (MotoGP category):
1. Fabio Quartararo (FRA / Yamaha-SRT) 1: 55.802
2. Marc Marquez (ESP / Honda) at 0.023
3. Jack Miller (AUS / Ducati) at 0.269
4. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA / Ducati) at 0.269
5. Maverick Vinales (ESP / Yamaha) at 0.282
6. Alex Rins (ESP / Suzuki) at 0.423
7. Franco Morbidelli (ITA / Yamaha) at 0.617
8. Cal Crutchlow (GBR / Honda) at 0.641
9. Valentino Rossi (ITA / Yamaha) at 0.725
10. Danilo Petrucci (ITA / Ducati) at 0.791
...
17. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA / Suzuki) at 1.296
20. Johann Zarco (FRA / KTM) at 1.694
(According to the current MotoGP system, the top ten pilots in the first three free practice sessions qualify directly for the second session, all the others having to participate in the first qualifying session. The drivers in this first session also qualify for the second, which determines the order of the first 12 places on the starting grid.
© 2019 AFP