Misano Adriatico (Italy) (AFP)
Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha-SRT) hit the start of the first MotoGP free practice session on Friday, scoring the best time ahead of five-time Spanish world champion Marc Marquez (Honda).
With a time of 1 min 33 sec 153/1000, the French beat Marquez by 376 / 1000e.
Starting in MotoGP this season, the young 20-year-old from Nice has already won three pole-positions this year and is the revelation of the season. He has for best result in the race a place of 2nd at the GP of Catalonia in June.
Spaniard Maverick Vinales on an official Yamaha finished third ahead of Italy's Michele Pirro (Ducati) who has a wild card for the event. He is usually the test driver of the Italian brand.
Local hero Valentino Rossi (Yamaha), seven-time MotoGP World Champion and now in his forties, clocked the ninth time.
The other Frenchman in MotoGP, Johann Zarco (KTM), finished 18th in this first free practice session, which will be followed by a second one this afternoon.
According to the current MotoGP system, drivers who have achieved the top ten times in the first three free practice sessions participate directly in the qualifying session on Saturday (Q2), which determines the order of the first 12 places on the starting grid. The other drivers must participate in a qualifying session (Q1) and the two fastest times are drafted for Q2.
. Ranking of the 1st free practice session of the San Marino GP (MotoGP category):
1. Fabio Quartararo (FRA / Yamaha-SRT) 1: 33.153
2. Marc Marquez (ESP / Honda) at 0.376
3. Maverick Vinales (ESP / Yamaha) at 0.446
4. Michele Pirro (ITA / Ducati) at 0.551
5. Aleix Espargaro (ESP / Aprilia) at 0.609
6. Pol Espargaro (ESP / KTM) at 0.849
7. Franco Morbidelli (ITA / Yamaha-SRT) at 0.886
8. Danilo Petrucci (ITA / Ducati) at 0.996
9. Valentino Rossi (ITA / Yamaha) to 1.029
10. Tito Rabat (ESP / Ducati-Avintia) at 1.108
....
15. Johann Zarco (FRA / KTM) at 1.607
© 2019 AFP