Bendsneyder tops crash-strewn FP2
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Bo Bendsneyder topped a crash-filled second free practice session from an incredibly windy Losail International Circuit.
The Dutch rider went to the top of the timesheets midway through FP2 with a 2m07.956s, though this was some five tenths slower than what he managed earlier this evening, something that can be attributed to the higher winds present.
Sky Racing VR46’s Nicolo Bulega brushed off a small off at the second corner 10 minutes in to end the session second fastest ahead of his team-mate Andrea Migno, the pair just over three tenths adrift of Bendsneyder.
Niccolo Antonelli was fourth in FP2 despite a late fall, with Gresini’s Jorge Martin rounding out the top five on his Honda. The Spaniard, incidentally, was the only rider inside the top five to improve on his FP1 time, though by only two hundredths.
Romano Fenati will be pleased with his evening’s work in sixth, the Italian ending FP2 ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio, Joan Mir, Aron Canet and British Talent Team’s John McPhee.
Philipp Oettl was eight tenths of a second off the pace in FP2, but his time from FP1 keeps him ahead of the pack on the combined results.
SIC 58 Squadra Corse’s Tony Arbolino found three tenths on his FP1 best to finish the evening an impressive 12th ahead of Juanfran Guevara and Adam Norrodin, who collided with Nakarin Atiratphuvapat in the closing minutes.
One notable absentee from FP2 was RBA’s Gabriel Rodrigo. The Argentinian suffered a broken collarbone in a crash at the end of FP1, and has headed to Barcelona for surgery.