Petrucci fastest again in Jerez practice

Paris, France: Danilo Petrucci was again the quickest in Jerez on Saturday as he recorded the fastest time in a lightning display in the third free practice ahead of the Spanish MotoGP.

The Ducati rider became the first man to ever lap the recently resurfaced Jerez track in under 1min 37sec. He finished with the best average time over the three sessions ahead of Spanish world champion Marc Marquez on a Honda and Frenchman Fabio Quartararo on a Yamaha.

Less than half a second covered the 12 fastest average times.

Fellow Italian and multiple world champion Valentino Rossi just failed to drag himself into the top 10 and earn a direct pass to the second qualifying session. The Yamaha man was 11th and needs to finish in the top two in the first qualifying session to have a chance at a high grid position.

The session was briefly halted after Briton Cal Crutchlow crashed his Honda into the air fence on Turn 10. Crutchlow, who had held the old lap record, was unhurt but the fence punctured and deflated.

In Moto2, Australian Remy Gardner, the son of 1987 500cc world champion Wayne Gardner, was fastest. Argentine Gabriel Rodrigo recorded the best combined time in Moto3.

Standings after free practice (three sessions combined):

1. Danilo Petrucci (ITA/Ducati) 1:36.957

2. Marc Marquez (ESP/Honda) at 0.061

3. Fabio Quartararo (FRA/Yamaha-SRT)  0.275

4. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Ducati) 0.335

5. Joan Mir (ESP/Suzuki) 0.335

6. Alex Rins (ESP/Suzuki) 0.363

7. Takaaki Nakagami (JPN/Honda-LCR) 0.367

8. Cal Crutchlow (GBR/Honda-LCR) 0.401

9. Franco Morbidelli (ITA/Yamaha-SRT) 0.413

10. Jorge Lorenzo (ESP/Honda) 0.419

11. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha) 0.460