Valentino Rossi set the fastest time in a dramatic end to Free Practice Session 3 as he leads the list of the top ten riders who automatically progress to the main qualifying session.
The Movistar Yamaha rider set the fastest time of 1:39.244 which is still over a second slower than the best lap time completed by Jorge Lorenzo in 2015 of 1:37.910. His teammate Jorge Lorenzo’s time of 1:39.490 was the time set to be beaten in the early stages of the session, but only when riders returned to the track after a pit stop in the final ten minutes, were they able to contest with his time that left him fourth overall.
Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez was the fastest Honda in second just 0.046 seconds off Rossi’s time with a late flying lap. Despite looking like they have been struggling a lot, this season and so far in Jerez, Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider Pol Espargaro managed to claim the third fastest time ahead of factory Yamaha rider Lorenzo. Marquez’s teammate Dani Pedrosa finished fifth fastest overall 0.289 seconds slower than his teammate.
The Suzuki have looked strong here, especially since being able to make significant changes since the last round at the Circuit of the Americas. Maverick Vinales was the fastest Suzuki with a time of 1:39.742 which was just under half a second slower than Rossi’s time. His teammate Aleix Espargaro who is feeling much more positive now aboard the GSX-RR looked strong but the flying laps from the other riders towards the end of the session left him in eighth after he was forced down the leaderboard.
Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso split the two Suzukis, with the Italian finishing seventh on the leaderboard finishing as the fastest Ducati with a time of 1:39.812. His teammate Andrea Iannone claimed the ninth spot as he finished just 0.018 seconds slower than Dovizioso. The two are currently in competition to keep the remaining place in the Ducati team next season as 2015 champion Jorge Lorenzo has just signed to join the Italian team.
Hector Barbera completed the top ten riders on his Avintia Ducati. The Spaniard has been very strong during the Free Practice sessions after he finished second and fourth previously.
Out of the top ten riders that progress to the main qualifying session, seven of them are Spanish; the rest are Italian. There has been a different race winner at Jerez over the last four seasons. The other two remaining Spaniards in the field Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) finished in eleventh (just missing out by 0.107 seconds) and rookie Tito Rabat (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) finished in twentieth.
The top ten riders will be joined by the fastest two of the remaining riders who will compete in Qualifying 1.
