---
title: "Vinales storms to top spot in second practice"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2017/06/23/vinales-storms-top-spot-second-practice/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lewis Duncan"
section: "MotoGP News"
published: "2017-06-23T13:18:26Z"
modified: "2017-06-23T13:18:57Z"
---

# Vinales storms to top spot in second practice

Maverick Vinales ends Friday’s running ahead of the Dutch TT in command, after the Yamaha rider went almost four tenths of a second clear of the field in a frantic second practice.

With a few spots of rain materialising towards the end of Moto3 practice, the 2.89-mile Assen circuit was abuzz with activity. A few more spots of rain 10 minutes in saw everyone head back to their garages, though mercifully not for long as the weather soon cleared.

![David Ramos/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/06/694421258.jpg)

As it did in this morning’s session, top spot changed hands frequently as the 45-minute session wore on. With the weather expected to be poor on Saturday, the final 10 minutes turned into a shoot-out to secure a place inside the top 10.

Yamaha’s Vinales twisted the screw in the closing stages and posted a 1m33.130s to go top of the pile by over half a second, though this gap was cut to 0.367 seconds by Tech3’s Jonas Folger.

Honda’s Marc Marquez completed the top three with a 1m33.782s, the Spaniard narrowly edging last year’s Assen pole man Andrea Dovizioso in fourth spot.

LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow spent some of this morning’s session trying an HRC’s aero fairing, continuing to work on it in second practice. The Briton eventually ditched it for his time attack and posted the fifth best time of the day.

![David Ramos/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/06/694833640.jpg)

Valentino Rossi struggled to get any higher than 10th for much of the session, but managed a 1m33.830s on his final lap to leap up to a more comfortable sixth ahead of this morning’s pacesetter Danilo Petrucci.

Johann Zarco headed Alvaro Bautista in eighth, while the second factory Honda of Dani Pedrosa completed the top 10.

Should third practice be affected by poor weather, Jorge Lorenzo could be set to face the first part of qualifying once again, the Ducati rider struggling to find pace at the Dutch circuit.

The Spaniard slotted into 14th at the chequered flag, with Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro, Marc VDS rider Jack Miller and Aspar’s Karel Abraham ahead of him. ![](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/06/2017-06-23-1-904x508.png)