MotoGP, rain turns against Pecco Bagnaia: 11th after FP2

Difficult track conditions, and a blurred top ten (for now).

Pecco Bagnaia misses direct access to Q2 as early as the second free practice of the Malaysian Grand Prix, heavily conditioned by weather and track conditions. In Sepang, the Ducati centaur closes FP2 in second place (behind only Cal Crutchlow), but the high times of the Malaysian afternoon make his performance insufficient to go beyond the 11th time in the combined standings.

To avoid a handicap start in the crucial Malaysian Grand Prix, therefore, Bagnaia will have to hope for a third free practice session with more clement weather that allows him to play for pole position. Or, at any rate, a grid position in the top 10.

Not counting the time of 2:05.710 set by Crutchlow in FP2, Bagnaia’s second at +0.900 and Fabio Quartararo’s ninth even at +4.043, the morning times therefore hold up for now. First then figures Brad Binder with his 1:59.479, ahead of Alex Rins, Marc Marquez and Enea Bastianini. Quartararo is seventh and Bagnaia, as mentioned, 11th.