2021 Dutch MotoGP, Assen - Free Practice (2) Results

Free Practice (2) results from the Dutch MotoGP at Assen, round 9 of the 2021 world championship.
Maverick Vinales, MotoGP, Dutch MotoGP 25 June 2021
Maverick Vinales, MotoGP, Dutch MotoGP 25 June 2021
© Gold and Goose

Vinales enjoys a welcome boost by staying fastest during a rain-interrupted Free Practice 2 for the Dutch MotoGP at Assen, the Yamaha rider lapping a few tenths slower than his morning time before the afternoon rain arrived.

But the session will be best remembered for a shocking accident for Marc Marquez, his biggest since returning to MotoGP from last year's broken arm.

The Sachsenring winner was sent somersaulting through the air at 130km/h after the rear wheel of his Honda stepped out and launched him into a highside at Turn 11, while chasing Mir, in the opening ten minutes.

A stretcher was made ready for the eight-time world champion as he lay in the gravel, but the #93 was eventually able to stand up - fortunately without reaching for his right arm and shoulder - then returned to the paddock on the back of a scooter and limped back into the Repsol Honda garage.

Team-mate Espargaro fell shortly afterwards in far less dramatic circumstances. Both Espargaro and Marquez have a new chassis to try this weekend, which Marquez is thought to have been using when he fell.

It is not clear if rain drops contributed to the Repsol falls but the moisture intensified into steady rain soon after, sending all riders back to the pits and silencing the track during the middle stages.

By the last ten minutes the track was fully wet, allowing riders to return on wet tyres and prepare for more rain forecast on Saturday.

Around half of the riders were able to beat their FP1 times before the FP2 rain.

Garrett Gerloff is replacing the injured Franco Morbidelli at Petronas Yamaha, alongside Rossi. The 25-year-old American, currently sixth (one podium) in this year's World Superbike championship for GRT Yamaha, previously took part in (wet) Friday practice at last year's Valencia MotoGP while Rossi was awaiting a PCR result.

With Rossi due to announce his racing future during the summer break, could this weekend effectively be an 'audition' for Gerloff?

Assen is returning to the MotoGP calendar for the first time since 2019, having been absent from last year's Covid-reduced line-up. It has been resurfaced since MotoGP's last visit.

Dutch MotoGP, Assen - Free Practice (2) Results
Pos RiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1=Maverick ViñalesSPAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)1'33.241s5/14301k
2^12Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.159s5/12307k
3^1Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.250s4/13298k
4^5Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.319s4/4308k
5^8Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.460s4/11304k
6˅1Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP21)+0.467s5/12310k
7˅4Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.719s6/15307k
8^3Jack MillerAUSDucati Team (GP21)+0.825s6/7310k
9˅2Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)+0.840s6/8306k
10˅8Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.855s5/9306k
11˅5Danilo PetrucciITAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+0.893s6/11299k
12^8Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP21)*+1.098s5/13308k
13^5Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+1.117s6/13308k
14˅4Lorenzo SavadoriITAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)*+1.220s4/14299k
15^2Iker LecuonaSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+1.298s5/12299k
16^3Enea BastianiniITAAvintia Ducati (GP19)*+1.417s6/12305k
17˅1Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.525s5/11302k
18˅3Valentino RossiITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.536s6/11298k
19˅7Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Team (GP21)+1.591s4/7309k
20˅12Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+2.485s3/9301k
21^1Garrett GerloffUSAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+2.503s4/12296k
22˅1Luca MariniITASky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)*+2.975s6/12300k

Key:
^X Rider is X positions higher than FP1.
= Rider is same position as FP1.
˅X Rider is X positions lower than FP1.

* Rookie

Top 10 Combined Practice Times:
PosRiderNatTeam
1Maverick VinalesESPMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
2Pol EspargaroESPRepsol Honda (RC213V)
3Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)
4Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
5Alex RinsESPSuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
6Marc MarquezESPRepsol Honda (RC213V)
7Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
8Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP21)
9Danilo PetrucciITAKTM Tech3 (RC16)
10Aleix EspargaroESPAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)

Official Assen MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Fabio Quartararo FRA Yamaha 1m 32.017s (2019)
Fastest race lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 1m 33.617s (2015)

By Peter McLaren
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