Fabio Quartararo posted a late flyer to lead FP2 at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand as Yamaha locked out the top three positions.
Quartararo spent most of the session floating around the top five, but joined most other riders in heading out for a final few push laps on new tyres as the 45 minute test came to a close.
Maverick Vinales first deposed long-time leader Marc Marquez from the top spot, banging in a 1:30.597 to beat him by just over two-tenths of a second.
Quartararo then usurped the factory Yamaha’s time on his satellite Petronas SRT machine with a 1:30.404, and unable to improve on his final effort remained the sessions fastest lap.
Vinales therefore had to make do with second ahead of the second SRT M1 of Franco Morbidelli, who at one point looked like he could snatch the top spot.
Jack Miller was the fastest Ducati in fourth position for Pramac, while Valentino Rossi ensured all four Yamaha’s made a top five appearance.
Marquez eventually slipped to sixth, despite his trip to hospital in between FP1 and FP2. The Spaniard suffered a fearsome crash at Turn 7 in the first session of the weekend that meant he had to be helped from the circuit by marshals and then make a trip to the local hoispital for checks.
It transpired that only suffered a few mild contusions, allowing him to remount his RC213-V for FP2. He wasted no time and set the fastest lap of the weekend at that point on only his third flyer, one he would not improve on across the rest of the session.
He decided to complete a race simulation on the same tyres he set his fastest time on, so will-suffice to say- be someone to look out for tomorrow.
Aleix Espargaro managed a strong lap to slot his Aprilia RS-GP in with the seventh fastest time ahead of Andrea Dovizioso, while Joan Mir and Alex Rins rounded out the top ten for Suzuki.
Danilo Petrucci was 11th on the second factory Ducati GP19, while Cal Crutchlow continued to struggle for LCR Honda down in 14th-a slight improvement on his 18th finishing position this morning.
KTM continued to struggle as the injured Pol Espargaro managed the most competitive showing in 15th, with Mika Kallio trailing Jorge Lorenzo in 21st.
Discussion about this post