Jack Miller tops French MotoGP FP2 as tricky conditions persist

Jack Miller climbed to the top of the timesheets in second free practice for the 2020 French MotoGP at Le Mans as tricky, slippery track conditions continued to persist into the afternoon.

After Bradley Smith emerged as the surprise pace setter in FP1 on an evolving circuit, the conditions for FP2 were much the same as riders contended with a surface that dried enough to allow a brave run on slick tyres.

As such, Australian Miller took up the challenge and duly emerged out front with a timesheet-topping 1m 34.133s lap in the closing stages of the session, the Pramac Ducati rider - who will step up to the factory team next season -a full seven tenths faster than second place man Takaaki Nakagami.

Takaaki Nakagami had looked on course for the fastest time before being usurped by Miller, though the Japanese rider was denied the chance to respond when he fell in the closing stages, one of a small handful of riders to do so as they found the limit of the track.

Johann Zarco endured an unusual session as he appeared to suffer with electrical issues on the Avintia Ducati, forcing him to come to a brief stop before rejoining the circuit and powering on to third quickest.

Valentino Rossi was fourth best on the quickest of the Yamahas, with Danilo Petrucci and Maverick Vinales following up in fifth and sixth positions.

Briton Cal Crutchlow turned in the seventh best time from Honda counterpart Alex Marquex, while Franco Morbidelli and Pol Espargaro completed the top ten runners.

Further down the order, with both Fabio Quartararo and Joan Mir yet to start a wet weather race since moving to MotoGP, the chance to run in these conditions could prove invaluable in their brewing title fight should Sunday’s race prove similarly damp.

There was bad fortune for Andrea Dovizioso as he suffered a lowside, albeit seemingly without consequence, while Brad Binder and Aleix Espargaro also came down from their respective KTM and Aprilia machines.

However, it was Smith that suffered the most spectacular incident with a high-side from his RS-GP that left him limping away from the wreckage.