Moto GP ; Marc Marquez dominates a damp and suprising FP1 at Mugello

The opening practice at the one of the most beautiful and difficult circuits on the MotoGP calendar, the Mugello, but unfortunately, but it was more than the expected, the weather was cold, damp and very cloudy - and this is the weather that Italy has had for almost the entire month of May.

The Italian track was still damp yesterday’s rain showers and the riders were forced to go out on hard rain tires on the half and half conditions, with the tires showing some wear and tire after four or five laps, but with 15 minutes left in the session Yonny Hernandez was the first rider to go out on slicks .

The CRT rider immediately topped the charts until Marc Marquez hit the track with slicks and immediately gave it 110%, shaving off more than one second and then lowered his lap times again to finish on top with a best lap of 1′54.797 and then binned his Honda without consequences when he touch the damp grass at the Borgo San Lorenzo.

The session saw some suprising results, which could be very important if the next two practice sessions should be fully wet and could see a number of CRT riders end up directly in QP2 and top riders having to take part in QP1.

Ducati’s wildcard rider Michele Pirro was second fastest and a little less than four tenths from Marquez, followed by LCR’s Stefan Bradl and CRT rider Karel Abraham.

Hernandez ended up fifth, while Tech3 rookie Bradley Smith was sixth and ahead of Nicky Hayden. Le Mans winner and standings leader Dani Pedrosa was 8th and 1.7 seconds from his team mate.

A frustrated Cal Crutchlow who wants a factory spec contract and let everyone know it during yesterday’s pre-event press conference, threatening to quit if Moto2 rider Pol Espargaro, who is definitely on Yamaha’s radar, is given a works deal over him was behind Pedrosa and ahead of Ben Spies, who has finally returned to action after missing the last two GPs following his pec muscle strain during the Austin GP that also aggravated his shoulder issues.

Jorge Lorenzo was only 14th and he sat out the final minutes of the session. Andrea Dovizioso lost the front of his Ducati at turn 1 in the final minutes and he was 15th. Valentino Rossi was just 19th and more than six tenths adrift, and when he was out on his last two laps on slicks he had Dovizioso crash in front of him and then Marquez. His decision to go out only in the final minutes with slicks could cost him dearly.

Danilo Petrucci also crashed just a minute after Dovizioso showing how tricky the conditions were.

2013 MotoGP Mugello FP1 results:

01- Marc Marquez – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC213V – 1’54.797
02- Michele Pirro – Ducati Test Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP13 – + 0.398
03- Stefan Bradl – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC213V – + 0.491
04- Karel Abraham – Cardion AB Motoracing – ART GP13 – + 1.077
05- Yonny Hernandez – Paul Bird Motorsport – ART GP13 – + 1.110
06- Bradley Smith – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 1.184
07- Nicky Hayden – Ducati Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP13 – + 1.194
08- Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC213V – + 1.737
09- Cal Crutchlow – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 2.187
10- Ben Spies – Ignite Pramac Racing – Ducati Desmosedici GP13 – + 2.248

from TWoWHEELSBLOG