MUGELLO: World champion Marc Marquez set the fastest lap time for Honda in the rain-hit MotoGP practice yesterday at Mugello ahead of Italian Grand Prix that will be held this weekend.
The Spaniard clocked 1min 48.004sec after two sessions with the second disrupted by intermittent light rain which forced most riders to take cover.
Marquez’s best lap was just four-tenths of a second off his own Mugello circuit lap record set last year, and put him 0.382 seconds clear of Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi.
Marquez started the first session gently on the Tuscan circuit where he fell twice last year.
“I was unsure this morning and I didn’t want to force things. But as the session progressed I felt good,” said the Catalan, who has won five consecutive races starting from pole position.
Pramac Racing’s Andrea Iannone of Italy set the third-fastest time and was the only other rider to lap within half a second of Marquez.
“It wasn’t raining enough to go on grooved tyres and too much to try out the smooth,” said Rossi, although the Italian star was pleased with a “positive day”.
“I’m not very far either and with Jorge Lorenzo (his teammate) we tested two types of settings that have given good results.”
Earlier, the World champion said he was expecting a fierce challenge from Valentino Rossi as he tries to extend his record-breaking win-streak at the Italian Grand Prix tomorrow.
The 21-year-old currently sits top of the championship table, 42 points clear of his team-mate Dani Pedrosa with Valentino Rossi a further two points back in third.
“In these five races I had the level, but I think in Mugello Valentino will be 22 years old again,” he said before adding:
“He will again be so fast and will push a lot,” he said while predicting a tough test.AFP
