2017 Brno MotoGP Friday Practice Results: Ducati’s Dovizioso Fastest

2017 Brno MotoGP Friday Practice Results

Following a month-long summer break, 2017 MotoGP convened Friday with the opening free practices of the Czech Republic Grand Prix at Brno.

The morning (free practice 1) session was plagued by rain. Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Johann Zarco claimed the top time with a 2:05.201, finishing just ahead of Respol Honda’s Marc Marquez and Ducati Team’s Jorge Lorenzo.

But the rain would clear for the second free practice, and times would be nearly 10 seconds quicker. In the final moments of the 45-minute FP2, Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso went to the top of the time sheets.

Dovi, piloting a Ducati GP17 with radical new fairings, claimed the top time with a 1:56.332. The time is just shy of the circuit record lap posted by Dani Pedrosa in 2014 (Repsol Honda, 1:56.027).

Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Jonas Folger trailed by 0.398 of a second. Claiming third fastest during 2017 Brno MotoGP Friday Practice was the Octo Pramac Racing Ducati piloted by Danilo Petrucci, who was 0.419 of a second behind.

“Today went very well because we were able to carry out a lot of tests: this morning we made a comparison between the medium and the soft rain tires and we already have feedback in view of the race,” Andrea Dovizioso says.

“This afternoon, despite the limited time available on a totally dry surface, we managed to try the new material but above all we confirmed our good pace and this always makes the difference during the weekend. Tomorrow we will continue to work on the other details because it should be dry all day.”

FP1 leader Zarco finished fourth, just ahead of two other satellite Ducati riders: Reale Avintia Racing’s Hector Barbera and Octo Pramac Racing’s Scott Redding. Pedrosa followed in seventh, and rounding out the top 10 were LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro and three-time MotoGP Champion Marquez.

As for nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi, the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP YZR-M1 pilot finished 14th, 1.064 seconds off the pace. Lorenzo finished just behind Rossi in 15th, 1.305 seconds behind teammate Dovizioso.

The 23-rider grid returns to Brno Saturday for two additional free practices ahead of qualifying. Heading into the second half of the season at Brno, round 10 of 18, only 10 points separate the top-four MotoGP riders.

Marquez leads with 129 points, five ahead of Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Maverick Vinales, six ahead of Dovizioso, and 10 ahead of Rossi.

2017 Brno MotoGP Friday Practice Results

Pos.	Rider	Manufacturer	Nationality	Time
1	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati	ITA	01’56.332
2	Jonas Folger	Yamaha	DEU	01’56.730
3	Danilo Petrucci	Ducati	ITA	01’56.751
4	Johann Zarco	Yamaha	FRA	01’56.862
5	Hector Barbera	Ducati	ESP	01’56.864
6	Scott Redding	Ducati	GBR	01’56.905
7	Daniel Pedrosa	Honda	ESP	01’56.933
8	Cal Crutchlow	Honda	GBR	01’56.961
9	Aleix Espargaro	Aprilia	ESP	01’57.019
10	Marc Marquez	Honda	ESP	01’57.209
11	Maverick Viñales	Yamaha	ESP	01’57.289
12	Alvaro Bautista	Ducati	ESP	01’57.314
13	Pol Espargaro	KTM	ESP	01’57.378
14	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	ITA	01’57.396
15	Jorge Lorenzo	Ducati	ESP	01’57.637
16	Karel Abraham	Ducati	CZE	01’57.869
17	Loris Baz	Ducati	FRA	01’57.992
18	Alex Rins	Suzuki	ESP	01’58.042
19	Jack Miller	Honda	AUS	01’58.179
20	Andrea Iannone	Suzuki	ITA	01’58.194
21	Tito Rabat	Honda	ESP	01’58.437
22	Sam Lowes	Aprilia	GBR	01’58.638
23	Bradley Smith	KTM	GBR	01’59.382