2015 Silverstone MotoGP Friday Practice Results
The rider tied with Valentino Rossi in points ahead of the British Grand Prix – Jorge Lorenzo – struck first during 2015 Silverstone MotoGP Friday practice.
The two-time MotoGP Champion, who won five races this season including a dominating victory at Brno two weeks ago, rode flawlessly throughout 2015 Silverstone MotoGP Friday practice. The Movistar Yamaha pilot led both free practices, earning a best time of 2:02.338 – fast, but still two seconds off the pole-position record held by Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez (2:00.691, 2013). And it was Marquez who claimed second behind provisional pole sitter Lorenzo; the reigning MotoGP Champion, who won at Silverstone last season, finished a mere 0.033 of a second back.
As Lorenzo looks to displace his teammate Rossi in the points, this is the most optimal way to begin Silverstone MotoGP. As for Rossi, he finished 10th, nearly a second behind Lorenzo.
“The feeling has been good from the beginning. I didn‘t expect to improve so much in the afternoon session on my first run, but my lap time was suddenly a second quicker and was fast enough for me to stay in first position. We still need to improve our pace a little bit, because the track is very cold and this made the tire go down a little bit after every run,” Lorenzo says.
“We need to work on the bike to make it easier on tyre-life to be able to keep up a higher pace. The car racing at Silverstone is making the asphalt very bumpy, especially on braking, and I think it‘s a bit slower compared to last year, but the bikes seem to be faster, making the lap times similar.”
Lorenzo and Marquez created a 1-2 Spaniard top finish at 2015 Silverstone MotoGP Friday practice, but local rider Bradley Smith impressed his home crowd aboard the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha with third overall – 0.193 of a second off the pace.
Following the top satellite rider was Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa, who finished 0.235 of a second off the pace. He was joined on the provisional second row by Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, who compared two versions of the GP15 during Friday practice; the Italian was 0.423 of a second behind Lorenzo.
Running an extra-soft tire that’s available to Team Suzuki Ecstar, GSX-RR pilot Aleix Espargaro finished 0.534 of a second back and exactly one tenth of a second ahead of brother Pol aboard the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1.
Ducati Team’s Andrea Iannone had two updated GP15’s at his disposal, and despite crashing at Stowe Corner half way through FP2, recovered to finish in eighth.
Scott Redding on the EG 0,0 Marc VDS Factory Honda’s Scott Redding finished in nith, just ahead of nine-time World Champion Rossi. The 36-year-old Italian found himself almost a second down on his teammate’s time and will need to improve tomorrow if he has any hopes of re-taking his championship lead.
Avintia Racing’s Hector Barbera was the top Open class rider in 13th, ahead of the leading Open Honda of Jack Miller (LCR Honda) in 14th. Surprisingly Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) found himself behind his Australian teammate, despite riding a Factory spec RC213V, 1.410s off the pace of Lorenzo, MotoGP reports.
Aspar MotoGP Team’s Irish rider Eugene Laverty finished 16th fastest on the combined timesheets, with his American teammate Nicky Hayden down in 22nd.
2015 Silverstone MotoGP Friday Practice Results:
1. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 2’02.338
2. Marc Marquez (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 2’02.371
3. Bradley Smith (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech3 2’02.531
4. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 2’02.573
5. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Ducati Team 2’02.761
6. Aleix Espargarò (SPA) Team Suzuki Ecstar 2’02.872
7. Pol Espargarò (SPA) Monster Yamaha Tech3 2’02.972
8. Andrea Iannone (ITA) Ducati Team 2’03.219
9. Scott Redding (GBR) Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS 2’03.284
10. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 2’03.327
11. Danilo Petrucci (ITA) Octo Pramac Racing 2’03.339
12. Maverick Viñales (SPA) Team Suzuki Ecstar 2’03.391
13. Hector Barbera (SPA) Avintia Racing 2’03.618
14. Jack Miller (AUS) CWM LCR Honda 2’03.656
15. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) CWM LCR Honda 2’03.748
16. Eugene Laverty (IRL) Aspar MotoGP Team 2’03.877
17. Yonny Hernandez (COL) Octo Pramac Racing 2’03.878
18. Loris Baz (FRA) Forward Racing 2’03.977
19. Mike Di Meglio (FRA) Avintia Racing 2’04.216
20. Stefan Bradl (GER) Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 2’04.416
21. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 2’04.885
22. Nicky Hayden (USA) Aspar MotoGP Team 2’05.295
23. Karel Abraham (CZE) AB Motoracing 2’05.396
24. Alex De Angelis (RSM) E-Motion IodaRacing Team 2’05.820
25. Claudio Corti (ITA) Forward Racing 2’06.275