Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley

FIM MotoGP World Championship

Autodromo del Mugello, Italy

June 2, 2017

Free Practice Two Results (all on Michelin tires):

1. Cal CRUTCHLOW, UK (HONDA), 1:47.365

2. Andrea DOVIZIOSO, Italy (DUCATI), 1:47.526

3. Jonas FOLGER, Germany (YAMAHA), 1:47.543

4. Johann ZARCO, France (YAMAHA), 1:47.685

5. Dani PEDROSA, Spain (HONDA), 1:47.699

6. Hector BARBERA, Spain (DUCATI), 1:47.710

7. Alvaro BAUTISTA, Spain (DUCATI), 1:47.728

8. Andrea IANNONE, Italy (SUZUKI), 1:47.807

9. Michele PIRRO, Italy (DUCATI), 1:47.883

10. Danilo PETRUCCI, Italy (DUCATI), 1:47.950

11. Jorge LORENZO, Spain (DUCATI), 1:47.954

12. Valentino ROSSI, Italy (YAMAHA), 1:48.000

13. Maverick VIÑALES, Spain (YAMAHA), 1:48.014, crash

14. Marc MARQUEZ, Spain (HONDA), 1:48.103

15. Scott REDDING, UK (DUCATI), 1:48.111

16. Aleix ESPARGARO, Spain (APRILIA), 1:48.129

17. Jack MILLER, Australia (HONDA), 1:48.560

18. Tito RABAT, Spain (HONDA), 1:48.664

19. Loris BAZ, France (DUCATI), 1:48.751

20. Sam LOWES, UK (APRILIA), 1:48.842

21. Karel ABRAHAM, Czech Republic (DUCATI), 1:48.925

22. Pol ESPARGARO, Spain (KTM), 1:49.524

23. Bradley SMITH, UK (KTM), 1:49.640

24. Sylvain GUINTOLI, France (SUZUKI), 1:50.054

More, from a press release issued by Monster Yamaha Tech 3:

Impressive Folger closes day one in 3rd – Zarco straight up to speed

The Monster Yamaha Tech3 team enjoyed a thoroughly positive first day of action at the spectacular Mugello circuit with both riders notably finishing inside the top six. Jonas Folger kicked off his weekend with a superb run to 3rd, to end up as the top Yamaha and merely 0.178 from the leading time. Whilst Johann Zarco concluded the day strongly and in 6th overall but just 0.131 behind his teammate. The riders seek to power onwards and continue the momentum tomorrow in FP3, which commences at 09:55.

Jonas FOLGER

Position 3rd – Time: 1’47.543 – Laps: 35

“I am really happy with today’s result and it was a super way to begin the Mugello round. Of course, I am satisfied with my lap time, but I am even more pleased because I am comfortable on the YZR-M1 and I already feel confident at this track even though it’s my first time here on a MotoGP bike. There is a big difference between the soft and hard tyres on this asphalt, so we tried the harder compound for a long time before eventually switching over at the end. Tomorrow we have to see how far we can go on the softer tyre because Johann did a lot of laps with this option and he was strong, so therefore, it could be a good option for the race. Anyway, we had a great day and I am looking forward to getting back on the track.”

Johann ZARCO

Position 6th – Time: 1’47.674 – Laps: 35

“The first day went positively for us and I am confident for the rest of the weekend. The team and I worked with the soft tyre, which gave me a good feeling, and I was able to ride some solid lap times. However, this morning, I had to force the bike a bit, yet I found more control in the afternoon and here, I was very consistent and I enjoyed myself. It was a bit challenging to be faster because it was quite hot, and the grip level on the track is good but this means that when the temperature rises, it becomes trickier to improve, just like at the Jerez circuit. Anyway, I am still inside the top ten which is really important and I have to keep it until the end of FP3 so that I can get into Q2. I will keep working and there is some information to analyse, but overall I am happy. In addition, it may be possible for us to use the soft tyres for the race, however, we will confirm this tomorrow, yet it could be the right option to fight for another podium.”

More, from a press release issued by Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS:

Miller and Rabat build confidence at majestic Mugello

Clear blue skies and scorching hot conditions presented Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS riders Jack Miller and Tito Rabat with the perfect opportunity to focus on the race set-up of their Honda RC213V machinery in practice ahead of Sunday’s Italian MotoGP race.

Conditions were perfect for riding at the breathtaking Mugello track in today’s two 45-minute practice sessions, with Miller and Rabat able to complete 74 trouble free laps between them that helped the pair collect vital data in advance of Sunday’s demanding 23-lap race.

Australian Miller is still not in peak physical condition after his monumental high speed crash in FP4 at Le Mans 13 days ago, but he showed his trademark grit to tackle the numerous physically demanding fast changes of direction at the 5.24km Mugello track.

Today’s practice provided further evidence of the closeness of the competition in MotoGP this season, with Miller down in 17th position but he was only a second away from the top three.

Improving turning performance to help him accelerate more aggressively on corner exit will be a key target to improve overnight for Miller and his crew.

Spanish rider Rabat was only 0.104s and one place behind Miller on combined standings, with the former Moto2 World Champion making excellent progress throughout the opening day of action ahead of the sixth round of the 2017 MotoGP campaign.

With the top 10 less than a second away, Rabat is hopeful he can put up a strong battle for a place in Q2 at the end of tomorrow morning’s FP3 session.

Jack Miller: 17th – 1’48.560

“I’m still recovering full strength after the big practice crash in Le Mans but I feel reasonable on the bike. We kind of expected to struggle a little bit here with the straights and I need to find a little bit more feeling from the front. As soon as I release the brakes I seemed to run a little bit wide and I’m not able to finish the corner. And turning off brake is so crucial at this track. It hasn’t been a bad day and I’m happy with my pace on race tyres. I think we can find some serious time if we can get the bike dialled in for the latter part of the chicanes, so I have confidence to really wind the power on to drive it out on to the straights. Now, the front feels a bit light and we will focus on improving in that area tonight.”

Tito Rabat: 18th – 1’48.664

“I think we did a very good job today. I have been consistent in both sessions and I am happy with the progression we made throughout. The good conditions enabled us to focus solely on working on the bike for the race and I think we have already found a good direction for Sunday. The times are very close and I am not far behind Jack, so we have to make sure we build on this strong start to fight for the points again on Sunday.”

Ramon Aurin: Jack Miller Chief Engineer

“This is the first weekend that we have had the new stiffer construction front tyre from Michelin in the allocation and it looks like we don’t have the bike setting quite right for its different characteristics. We couldn’t test it last week at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya because Jack needed time to focus on his recovery from the Le Mans crash. But it seems we have too much weight on the rear and that is pushing the front. The issues seem to be worst in the chicane, so we have listened to Jack’s feedback and tonight we will study the data to understand what changes we can make to the bike to improve his feeling with the front.”

More, from a press release issued by Pull&Bear Aspar Team:

Bautista up with the best on opening day at Mugello

Pull&Bear Aspar rider places ninth on day one in Italy, with Karel Abraham 21st

The Italian Grand Prix started with track temperatures of up to 54 degrees at Mugello, where Cal Crutchlow topped the time sheets in MotoGP free practice. The Brit was one of five Independent riders in the top ten with a best lap of 1,47.365, edging out home Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso by just 0.029 seconds. Ducati also had five riders in the top ten, with wildcard Michele Pirro fourth fastest, Héctor Barberá eighth, Pull&Bear Aspar rider Álvaro Bautista in ninth and Jorge Lorenzo completing the group. Just four tenths of a second cover Crutchlow to Lorenzo at the end of an opening day to what promises to be an exciting weekend at Mugello.

The sixth round of the season started strongly for the Pull&Bear Aspar Team, with Álvaro Bautista ninth fastest after clocking a 1’47.728 that sees him provisionally through to Q2, with the final and decisive third free practice still to come tomorrow morning. So far Bautista is satisfied with the work he and his team have completed on a first day that saw them establish a strong race pace with some consistent lap times over the two sessions. His team-mate Karel Abraham ended the first day in Italy in 21st position overall but just 1.5 seconds shy of the leader. The Czech rider is in positive mood after the opening two sessions here, having taken several steps forward with his set-up, which should help improve his pace on new tyres tomorrow.

9th Álvaro Bautista 1:47.728 (36 laps):“We did a good job today. We had a little problem with one of the bikes this morning and had to go with the other one, but I felt comfortable from the start. We tried to improve our feeling and the set-up of the bike, especially in terms of corner exit on the throttle, because this morning I was running a little wide, and in the afternoon we improved this. We wanted to get the bike turning and handling better but with that we lost a little stability and braking power, which is very important at this circuit, so in the end we reverted to our previous set-up. I spent virtually the whole day with the medium rear tyre and in the end we tried the soft to see what feeling it gave, but to be honest I couldn’t feel the usual extra grip. In general we were quite consistent throughout, our race pace is good and I feel comfortable with the bike.”

21st Karel Abraham 1:48.925 (32 laps): “After Barcelona I think this was a really positive day for us. In the morning I still didn’t feel really great with the front, it wasn’t as bad as Barcelona but it wasn’t great. We worked really hard on it and after making a big step in FP1 we made an even bigger step in FP2, where we managed a 1’49.0 on tyres that already had almost full race distance on them. That is a decent lap time. We tried a couple of other things that also improved the bike slightly and then at the end of the session we tried with the soft tyres. We thought we might find another half a second and even though we improved, unfortunately it wasn’t as much as we expected. Anyway, I think it was a really good day – I feel much better on the bike again and as a team we made some really good progress. Hopefully we will get more comfortable with the new tyres tomorrow and take another step.”

More, from a press release issued by Movistar Yamaha:

MOVISTAR YAMAHA TACKLE FIRST TUSCAN FREE PRACTICE SESSIONS

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi kicked off the first day at the Autodromo del Mugello, claiming fifth and fourteenth place respectively in the combined session times.

Scarperia (Italy), 2nd June 2017

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi were back on track for the first free practice sessions at the Autodromo del Mugello. Viñales was in fine form in the morning, but a crash in the afternoon cost him valuable track time, leaving him in fifth position in the combined timesheets. Rossi focused on both getting a feel for the track and assessing his condition ahead of this weekend’s Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, and set the fourteenth fastest time of the day.

Still in good spirits from his victory in Le Mans, Viñales showed a strong pace in the 45-minute morning session. With a clear track in front of him, he was quick to find a good setting and topped the standings for most of the time with a 1’47.669s lap, until various riders put in a soft tyre towards the end of FP1. However, the young Spaniard underlined how fast his race pace is, as he held third place when the chequered flag came out, 0.275s off the front.

The afternoon saw a similar start to the proceedings. The number 25 rider was quick to ride his YZR-M1 to second place in the rankings, but a fast crash, 13 minutes into the session at turn 9, lost him some valuable practice time. Despite not being able to use FP2 to the fullest, Viñales was quickly back into the groove when he headed out on his second bike and in fresh leathers. He wrapped up FP2 in thirteenth place, with a 1’48.014s lap on his last try, 0.649s from first.

Local hero Rossi was also out on track in the Tuscan sunshine this morning and impressed with his brave performance as he prepared for his first home race of the season. Despite the fact that he‘s still recovering from injury, the Italian completed 15 laps and tested various settings for his YZR-M1 throughout the morning practice, to finish in fifteenth place with a best lap of 1’48.513s, 1.119s off the fastest time.

The nine-time World Champion further improved in FP2. Encouraged by the loud cheering of the Italian fans, he gradually quickened his pace. He used the afternoon session to further fine-tune his bike‘s setting and finished strong, in twelfth place, with a fastest lap of 1’48.000s, 0.513s faster than his best time of FP1 and 0.635s from the FP2 leader.

Today‘s results see Viñales placed fifth in the combined session times, 0.304s from the front, with Rossi in fourteenth, 0.635s off today’s fastest time.

MASSIMO MEREGALLI

TEAM DIRECTOR

Though it‘s not clearly reflected in today‘s time sheets, actually we had quite a good start to the weekend. Maverick showed he has a great race pace this morning in FP1. It was unfortunate that a fall in FP2 prohibited him from bettering his fastest lap from the morning, because he lost some valuable track time. Still, given the fact that he set this morning‘s time on the medium compound, we know that his fifth place in the combined times is only a vague indication of his form out on track. Today, Valentino made his first kilometres on the bike since his motocross incident. He used some light painkillers for FP2 and managed to make some good progress in the afternoon. He has surprised all of us with his quick recovery and his speed on the track in both sessions. I’m sure tomorrow he‘ll feel even better both physically and on the bike.

MAVERICK VIÑALES

It was a big crash, so I‘m really lucky to walk away from it. There was some damage done, but I‘m still OK. I went back to the box and headed out on a totally different bike, with a few things that I didn‘t like and a full tank, but I was still feeling good, putting in 1‘48.0s laps in these hot temperatures, which was quite nice. I think I‘m going to be alright for the rest of the weekend. If the session just now was OK, I think on Sunday I will be much better. We still need to modify some things on the electronics, but I feel good.

VALENTINO ROSSI

Today’s sessions were very important to get an understanding of my condition. This morning I suffered a lot, I had a lot of pain on the right, especially on acceleration, but this afternoon the situation was a bit better. I struggled physically, especially with my breathing, because I’m not at 100%, but it is getting better. We hope that tomorrow and Sunday the situation will improve. Usually Friday is the most difficult day, so we had to suffer a bit, but we tried.

More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Gresini:

A GOOD DAY OF HARD WORK FOR APRILIA AT MUGELLO

ESPARGARÓ OFF TO A GOOD START, LOWES GAINS POSITIONS

The first day of practice at Mugello for the upcoming GP on Sunday returned encouraging indicators for both Aleix Espargaró and Sam Lowes. Although both were hindered by a crash in FP2, the riders still managed to improve on their times from the morning session astride their Aprilia RS-GP machines, significantly narrowing the gap behind the ranking leaders.

Aleix Espargaró crashed in the early stages of FP2 right when he was lapping in the top end of the standings. Forced to switch bikes, he then finished with a good 1’48.129 (16th best time) just over seven tenths behind the top time. Lowes’ crash, also in FP2, forced the Brit to end his session after turning only five laps, but that did not keep him from improving on his morning session by almost a second, finishing in twentieth place with 1’48.842.

The two sessions, which ended without either of them having actually attempted a true time attack, left positive sensations for the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders and a good technical base on which to build an assault for better positions in the qualifying sessions tomorrow.

ALEIX ESPARGARO’

“We did a lot better than the times show. Unfortunately, I crashed with the first bike which is the one with a better performing engine and here you can really feel the difference. It was a low speed crash, nothing serious, but it made the rest of the session difficult. In any case, I was able to establish a good pace in the final laps, managing to keep up with Viñales. Staying on the championship leader’s pipes here at Mugello is definitely a good sign. We still need to improve, but tomorrow we will have plenty of time to do so.”

SAM LOWES

“To be honest, I felt the best I ever have astride the RS-GP today. This morning went well. Because of a small problem on the first bike, I did the entire session with the second one and I was rather fast even using the same tyres. In the afternoon, we started with the hard tyres (not the best choice for a flying lap), but we were competitive in terms of pace. The crash cost us a bit of time, making all of our work more complicated, but overall I am optimistic for tomorrow.”

More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:

Repsol Honda Team work on race setup at Mugello

The Repsol Honda Team fully exploited the ideal weather conditions of the opening day of the Grand Prix of Italy to work on their RC213V, trying different setup solutions.

Dani Pedrosa set his fastest time in 1’47.699 in the FP2 session, while Marc Marquez recorded his own best of 1’47.980 in FP1, choosing to not use the soft rear tyre in the afternoon in order to continue focusing on preparation for the race.

Lap times were so close today that Dani finished seventh fastest in the combined standings (just 0.334” off the top) and Marc 13th, with the top 16 riders split by less than 8 tenths.

Dani Pedrosa 26

7TH (COMBINED FREE PRACTICE TIMES)

“Today we worked to adapt the bike’s setup to the track and new front tyres. We struggled a little bit with the grip, but anyway, we’ve been able to test a few things on the bike and also work on the tyres. Our rhythm was constant and that’s positive, and we’ve gathered some information that we’ll use tomorrow to further improve the feeling and the lap times. We’ll try to be fast tomorrow in FP3 as that’s important for qualifying, and in FP4 we’ll work more on the race pace.”

Marc Marquez 93

13TH (COMBINED FREE PRACTICE TIMES)

“Considering that for once the weather was very good from the beginning, and so are the forecasts for the whole weekend, we decided to work and try a few things on the bike setup and prepare as well as possible for the race. We worked on a few very different solutions, looking to improve the confidence in the front, and we therefore didn’t use the soft rear tyre option and sacrificed the fast laps a little bit. We’re struggling a bit, but I’m still quite happy because our rhythm isn’t so bad. It seems like we’re getting closer step by step. Tomorrow we’ll put it all together and try to be closer to the top.”

More, from a press release issued by Octo Pramac Racing:

Gran Premio d’Italia – Circuito del Mugello – Free Practices

Petrux and Scott 12th and 15th after the first day of free practices action at Mugello

The first day of free practice for #ItalianGp started very well for Danilo Petrucci who showed to have a great feeling in FP1 with his Ducati Desmosedici GP ending up in seventh without using the soft-rubber. A technical problem at his moto-1 in the afternoon did not allow him to finish in the Top 10. All things considered, the feelings for Petrux still remain positive in view of the tomorrow’s FP3.

Scott’s start was a bit tougher. The English rider couldn’t find a good feeling and with his team he worked hard on set up and tires.

The two Octo Pramac Racing riders finish the first day of free practice in the 12th and 15th positions iof the combined standings

12th – Danilo Petrucci – 1’47.950

“I started very well. We had decided to use the hard-tyres ahead of the race and the pace was very good. Unfortunately the bike stopped and I had to use the second bike that had another setting. I felt a lot of chattering and did not find a good feeling. Unfortunately we lost a bit of time but the morning feeling was very good”.

15th – Scott Redding – 1’48.111

“I struggled a lot today but the gap from the Top 10 is not wide. With the medium-tires I did not find feeling and in the afternoon we went out with the hard. Things have gone a little better but I still feel that I have no feeling with the front. We will try to work to improve especially in changing direction where I still don’t feel comfortable”.

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More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Brit tops FP2 to take back the timesheets as engines fire up in Tuscany

After Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) led the way in FP1 under the sunny Tuscan skies of the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, two-time GP winner Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) struck back in the afternoon to take to the top late in FP2 – just heading ‘DesmoDovi’ by 0.029 on combined times. German rookie Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) impressed to complete the top three.

Another impressive performance as action opened in Italy saw Ducati test rider Michele Pirro end Friday in fourth with his time from FP1, just ahead of Championship leader Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP). Viñales’ fastest was also from Friday morning to put him fifth on combined, with the 2013 Moto3™ World Champion suffering a big crash in the afternoon at Arrabiata 2 – rider ok.

Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) was another whose fastest was an FP1 effort; his best just 0.005 off Viñales to give the Frenchman P6 on Day 1. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) improved in the afternoon from a more muted position in FP1 to go seventh, with Hector Barbera (Reale Avintia Racing) just behind the ‘Baby Samurai’ in some much improved form at the Italian GP.

Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) was ninth, with the top ten on Day 1 completed by five-time World Champion and five-time Mugello winner Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team).

Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Danilo Petrucci took P11 and P12 respectively, with reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) in thirteenth – just ahead of home hero Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) as the nine-time World Champion recovers from a motocross crash ahead of the event.

Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing) completed the top fifteen on Friday, with FP3 the next focus on Saturday morning as graduation to Q2 is decided. Qualifying begins with Q1 at 14:10 (GMT +2), followed closely by that all-important Q2.

More, from a press release issued by Reale Avintia Racing:

Hector Barbera flies on the opening day at Mugello

Positive start of the Italian Grand Prix for Hector Barbera: The Reale Avintia Racing rider holds eighth place in the combined time sheets after the first two practice sessions of the weekend. In the morning, Barbera felt fast immediately riding his Ducati Desmosedici GP16 and he finished the session with the fifth fastest lap time. In the afternoon, in much warmer weather conditions, he finished sixth, lapping just two thousandths of a second slower than in the morning. Barbera was the fastest on Mugello’s main straight today, with a top speed of 352.2 km/h. All in all, he had a strong start of the weekend after a tough first part of the season.

Things went the opposite way for Loris Baz, who struggled more during the first day. The 24-year-old French rider suffered to get the best out of the new Michelin front tyres. But he is confident that working hard with his team, they will be able to find a solution in their quest to conquer the best possible spot on the grid.

Hector Barbera | 1’47.708 | P8

“I’m very happy because we didn’t start like this since long time ago. The test at Jerez showed us the way, then we were unlucky at Le Mans, but we completed another crucial test in Barcelona before coming here and today we saw the results. The previous five races have been the toughest of my career, because I knew that I had the package and the team to be fighting at the front. I could see how the other riders using my bike were faster than me, but I didn’t have the feeling to push and it was really difficult. This bike was born with winglets, so from Jerez we just concentrated on putting more weight on the front and we could see the improvement every time I was on track. I was sure that I am still capable of riding a bike and that’s the reason why my team always supported me. So I want to say a big thank you, because it finally seems that we took the right direction. We have to build the momentum tomorrow and battle for Q2, and then give our best in qualifying.”

Loris Baz | 1’48.751 | P19

“It was a difficult day for me. We still have to work to set up the bike with the new front tyre, because although I was happy with my performance at the test in Barcelona, today I struggled a lot with chatter and also the front is pushing in every corner. The only positive thing is that we improved from the morning to the afternoon, so I hope we can go even further tomorrow and get the good feelings I had with the previous front tyre. Right now I’m not thinking about Q2, I’m focused on improving, because right now the main thing is to get the best package for the race on Sunday.”

More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki ECSTAR:

IANNONE 11TH IN A HOT MUGELLO, GUINTOLI STILL DEVELOPING HIS CONFIDENCE

Andrea Iannone’s appreciation for the Mugello circuit paid off today in the two free practice sessions, with the Italian rider demonstrating a real confidence and improving his lap time sensibly from the morning to the afternoon. His best lap in FP2 was set in 1’47.807 and is 0.442s from the top of the timesheet, and only 0.060s from the top ten, which would give him direct access to Q2 tomorrow.

An encouraging improvement has also been made by the Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli, as he was able to cut nearly one second off from FP1 to FP2. Despite his position at the moment at the bottom of the classification, his work is very beneficial to the team for feedback used in the preparation of the race.

Davide Brivio – Team Manager

Today we were able to work intensively and explore different options. Unfortunately with Andrea we were unable to finish in the top ten, by a just a little, but the job we have done is positive and so far this weekend looks increasingly like a normal weekend, with the normal job of fine tuning in the preparation. We still have some areas in which we can improve. These will be the focus for tomorrow in trying to get a ticket for the Q2. Andrea is also struggling due to a health problem with his stomach and this is making him weaker, thus affecting his riding performance, but technically speaking, we are not so bad. Sylvain has worked intensively to get acquainted with the GSX-RR and the circuit; it’s not easy for him having such little experience with us, but he did make positive improvements and gave us important feedback. I’m confident he will take a step further tomorrow in reducing the gap.”

Andrea Iannone

“I’m very happy about how the GSX-RR is behaving at this circuit. I think this is one of the best for us, where we are best suited. Regrettably, I don’t feel in optimal condition; I have been suffering from a stomach ache for five days and I feel very weak. With the doctors, we are trying to improve the situation and my hope is tonight I will start feeling better, because it would be unfortunate to miss the chance to compete at 100%.”

Sylvain Guintoli

“We had to readapt to the track and try to find a good rhythm, as it appears this is a very complicated track, where you have to commit a lot, at very high speeds. I enjoyed riding the GSX-RR, but for now we have to find a quicker pace. We’ve improved one second from this morning´s practice, which is positive, but we have to carry on with the work and continue to improve. It’s a physical track, but I feel very good and well-prepared. For me it’s a matter of finding some more efficiency at the cornering speeds. From data we saw, which indicated that some areas are already good, in others I still need to improve my riding and the lines.”

More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

 Dovizioso second at the end of Day 1 of Italian GP practice at Mugello. Fourth quickest time for wild-card entry Pirro, while Lorenzo is tenth in today’s provisional standings

The first day of action for the Italian GP, round 6 of the championship schedule for this weekend at the Mugello circuit in Tuscany, came to a close with three Ducati factory riders in the top ten. The gaps in the MotoGP field were minimal, with the first sixteen riders in the standings separated by less than eight-tenths of a second.

Andrea Dovizioso placed second at the end of the two free practice sessions held today. The Italian topped the timesheets in the morning’s FP1 run with a time of 1’47.394 and was leading FP2 until a few minutes before the end, when his time was bettered by Cal Crutchlow by just 29 thousandths of a second.

Jorge Lorenzo finished in tenth place in the day’s combined standings. The Spanish rider, sixth in the morning, was unable to improve on his time of 1’47.747 in the afternoon, but in any case remained in the provisional top ten.

An excellent performance came from Michele Pirro, Ducati test-rider and entered as a wild-card for Mugello with the Desmosedici GP 2017 of the Ducati Test Team. The Italian, second behind Dovizioso in the morning’s session, finished the opening day at Mugello in fourth place with a time of 1’47.595.

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 1’47.394 (2nd)

“We have started the weekend really well, much better than I expected, and it’s always important to start strongly in a race weekend. My feeling is good and we were able to keep a good pace even in the heat of the afternoon, but we were not as quick as we would have liked mid-corner, and this will be where we will focus our work. In any case we are really competitive, and today we also managed to try all the tyres available because it was important to have feedback for tomorrow and for the race.”

Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team #99) – 1’47”747 (10th)

“This morning, even though I was not totally at ease on the bike, I managed to set some good times. Unfortunately on the last lap, when I had fitted a new tyre, I found some traffic in the last corner and was not able to improve my lap time. In the afternoon we focussed on lapping with used tyres in view of the race, but we didn’t manage to be really quick. In general, I can’t be too satisfied because I’m still missing something in the settings to be able to ride with more confidence and set quicker times.”

Michele Pirro (Ducati Test Team #51) – 1’47.595 (4th)

“It was a positive day for me, because we managed to work well both this morning and this afternoon and we were also quick with used tyres. Unfortunately we are still struggling a bit in the third sector and so we have to focus on improving this aspect. I want to thank the team because they have given me a very competitive bike, and tomorrow we will try and take the Desmosedici as far to the front as possible.”

More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda:

IMPRESSIVE CRUTCHLOW TOPS THE TIMESHEETS ON DAY ONE IN MUGELLO

LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow set the pace on the opening day of the Italian Grand Prix at a scorching Mugello. The Briton – riding with a #69 sticker on his front fender to honour the memory of Nicky Hayden – laid down an early marker as he looks to maintain his impressive early season form at round six of the MotoGP World Championship in Tuscany.

In the morning session Crutchlow was tenth fastest, but a switch to a softer rear tyre in this afternoon’s FP2 saw the 31-year-old post the best lap of the day. The LCR man finished ahead of Ducati rider Andrea Doviszioso in second, with the Yamaha of Jonas Folger in third. However, Crutchlow insists there is still much room for improvement over the weekend.

Cal Crutchlow – 1st

(1’47.635 – lap 16 of 18)

“This race is very important for my Team and it’s a good atmosphere. I don’t feel fantastic with the bike as I’ve not been feeling too good over the past couple of days. I have a couple of injuries, but I was quite happy with the overall performance today”.

“We still have to improve, in the middle of the corner the feeling of the bike is not great when turning – although that could have been the tyre we’re using. Hopefully we can improve that tonight and then do better tomorrow”.