2017 Mugello MotoGP Friday Practice Results: Crutchlow Over Dovi by 0.029

2017 Mugello MotoGP Friday Practice Results

Two-time MotoGP winner Cal Crutchlow stole the top time Friday during free practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello.

During the final moments of the second and final free practice of the day, the LCR Honda RC213V pilot finished the day a mere 0.029 of a seconds ahead of Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, who topped the first free practice.

Completing the top three Friday was Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Jonas Folger, who just extended his contract with his team.

Crutchlow, who posted a 1:47.365 to take the top time, wasn’t too happy with feeling, and is looking to improve Saturday before Mugello MotoGP qualifying

“Yeah, I’m feeling good,” Cal Crutchlow says. “It’s the team’s home race-ish, although obviously Misano is closer to our workshops. We’re feeling good at the moment; I don’t feel fantastic with the bike, I’ve not been feeling great over the past couple of days, but the overall performance today I was quite happy with.

“I just don’t feel so well, but otherwise the bike feels good. We still have to improve: in the middle of the corner we’re not feeling great at the moment to turn the bike, it could’ve been the tyre we were using, but hopefully we can improve that overnight and go better tomorrow.”

Earning fourth overall was Ducati Team test rider Michele Pirro, who finished just ahead of Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Maverick Vinales, the current points leader. The 2013 Moto3 Champion Vinales, who leads Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa by 17 points, also suffered a huge crash in FP2, but walked away unharmed.

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rookie Johann Zarco finished in sixth, 0.005 of a second behind Vinales. Rounding out the top 10 were Pedrosa, Reale Avintia Racing Ducati’s Hector Barbera, Pull&Bear Aspar Team Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista and Duati Team’s Jorge Lorenzo, a five-time winner at Mugello.

As for home favorite Valentino Rossi, the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP pilot finished 13th, just ahead of reigning MotoGP Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda). The nine-time World Champion was declared fit to ride following some injuries sustained in a motocross crash last week, but is still in some pain.

“Today’s sessions were very important to get an understanding of my condition,” Valentino Rossi says. “This morning I suffered a lot, I had a lot of pain on the right, especially on acceleration, but this afternoon the situation was a bit better. I struggled physically, especially with my breathing, because I’m not at 100%, but it is getting better. We hope that tomorrow and Sunday the situation will improve. Usually Friday is the most difficult day, so we had to suffer a bit, but we tried.”

The riders return to the Tuscan circuit Saturday for two additional free practice sessions followed by qualifying.

Photo by Luciano Bianchetto

2017 Mugello MotoGP Friday Practice Results:

2017 Mugello MotoGP Friday Practice Results | Photo Gallery