British MotoGP, Silverstone - Free Practice (3) Results

Free Practice (3) results from the British MotoGP at Silverstone, round 12 of the 2021 world championship.
Jack Miller, British MotoGP, 27 August 2021
Jack Miller, British MotoGP, 27 August 2021
© Gold and Goose

Jack Miller puts Ducati fastest during Saturday morning's Free Practice 3 for the 2021 British MotoGP at a chilly Silverstone.

World championship leader fabio Quartararo, still limping from his Friday highside, was second fastest courtesy of his Friday time with Aprilia's Aleix Espargaro completing the combined top three.

The top ten riders after FP3 (combined times) receive direct access to the second and final part of qualifying, with the likes of 2019 race winner Alex Rins (who fell in the closing stages) and Johann Zarco among those needing to fight through Qualifying 1.

Pol Espargaro, enjoying the extra grip from the track surface this weekend, fell in the final minute but had already done enough for sixth place. Team-mate Marc Marquez, distracted by sand in his eye on Friday after sliding off at 270km/h, was tenth.

With Maverick Vinales splitting from Yamaha after Austria, test rider Cal Crutchlow has been moved from Petronas Yamaha to the Monster Yamaha team at Silverstone.

As a result of Crutchlow's move, SRT has called-up Moto2 rider Jake Dixon to make a MotoGP debut in front of his home fans this weekend, riding in place of the injured Franco Morbidelli on the team's 2019-based A-Spec bike.

3.284s from the top in 21st on Friday, Dixon suffered his first premier-class fall when he lost the front early in FP3 at Turn 16 and was unable to improve on his Friday time.

Aprilia's Lorenzo Savadori abandoned his return from ankle injuries due to pain during Friday practice.

This weekend's event marks MotoGP's first visit to Silverstone since before the Covid pandemic, in 2019.

British MotoGP, Silverstone - Free Practice (3) Results
Pos RiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1^1Jack MillerAUSDucati Team (GP21)1'59.288s11/15340k
2^5Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)+0.098s14/15334k
3=Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP21)*+0.108s14/15336k
4˅3Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.173s13/17332k
5^1Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Team (GP21)+0.227s16/17339k
6˅2Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.227s15/16339k
7^3Valentino RossiITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.265s16/17330k
8^5Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.363s14/15330k
9˅1Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.383s15/16334k
10˅5Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.395s14/17332k
11^3Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP21)+0.437s17/18338k
12^3Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+0.765s15/16330k
13^3Cal CrutchlowGBRMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.787s13/16332k
14^6Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+0.869s15/16332k
15˅6Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+1.049s12/14332k
16˅5Iker LecuonaSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+1.071s16/17330k
17^1Danilo PetrucciITAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+1.257s15/15331k
18˅1Luca MariniITASky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)*+1.260s10/15332k
19=Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.595s15/16332k
20˅8Enea BastianiniITAAvintia Ducati (GP19)*+2.158s7/16332k
21=Jake DixonGBRPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+3.526s6/13324k

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

* Rookie

Riders directly to Qualifying 2 - Top 10 Combined Practice Times:
PosRiderNatTeam
1Jack MillerAUSDucati Team (GP21)
2Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
3Aleix EspargaroESPAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)
4Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP21)*
5Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Team (GP21)
6Pol EspargaroESPRepsol Honda (RC213V)
7Valentino RossiITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)
8Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
9Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)
10Marc MarquezESPRepsol Honda (RC213V)

Fastest Friday time:
Fabio Quartararo FRA Yamaha 1m 59.317s

Official Silverstone MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 1m 58.168s (2019)
Fastest race lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 1m 59.936s(2019)

By Peter McLaren

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