Valencia MotoGP FP Results | Miller sets practice pace as Rossi begins swansong

Jack Miller paces Friday free practice for the Valencia MotoGP finale as Valentino Rossi begins the last race weekend of his sensational career

Jack Miller - Ducati Team
Jack Miller - Ducati Team

Jack Miller topped Friday free practice for the Valencia MotoGP, the final round of the 2021 MotoGP World Championship, amid inclement weather conditions at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit.

The Aussie, on the podium in Portugal last weekend, moved to the top of the timesheets in the closing stages of FP2 to edge out Pol Espargaro by a mere 0.012secs.

The sole Repsol Honda entry this weekend following the withdrawal of Marc Marquez - whose season has been ended by a troubling - eye injury, Espargaro’s lofty Friday performance came despite a slip off in the closing stages of the session.

With the top three almost 0.4s clear of the pack, newly-confirmed 2021 MotoGP runner-up Pecco Bagnaia completed a strong day for the Ducati factory team in third position.

With the best lap times coming in a dry FP2 after FP1 was hampered by wet conditions, top Suzuki rider Alex Rins was fourth fastest as he looks to end a difficult season on a high this weekend, while Jorge Martin held the early initiative in his tight Rookie of the Year battle with Enea Bastianini by setting the fifth fastest time, while his Italian rival languished in 19th.

Another rider keen to go into the winter on a high, Takaaki Nakagami was sixth best on the LCR Honda, ahead of outgoing World Champion Joan Mir, who was seventh best at the venue of his one and only career victory from 2020.

Brad Binder led the KTM challenge in eighth, while Andrea Dovizioso was an encouragig ninth best, the experienced Italian lifting himself to the summit of the Yamaha contingent, with new champion Fabio Quartararo following in 11th. 

Meanwhile, Valentino Rossi’s emotional MotoGP swansong got off to a modest start as he brought up the rear of the 21 riders on the Petronas SRT Yamaha. The Italian will start the 371st and finale MotoGP race before he hangs up his helmet after 25 years of competing on the world stage.

2021 Valencia MotoGP | Ricardo Tormo | Free Practice Results [FP1+FP2]

2021 Valencia MotoGP | Ricardo Tormo | Free Practice Results [FP1+FP2] | Round 18 / 18
Pos Rider Nat. MotoGP Team MotoGP Bike Timing
1 Jack Miller AUS Ducati Lenovo Team Ducati GP21 1m 30.927
2 Pol Espargaro ESP Repsol Honda Team Honda RC213V 1m 30.939
3 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Lenovo Team Ducati GP21 1m 30.995
4 Alex Rins ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR 1m 31.336
5 Jorge Martin ESP Pramac Racing Ducati GP21 1m 31.396
6 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda Idemitsu Honda RC213V 1m 31.427
7 Joan Mir ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR 1m 31.513
8 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM RC16 1m 31.521
9 Andrea Dovizioso ITA Petronas Yamaha SRT Yamaha YZF-M1 1m 31.603
10 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Racing Ducati GP21 1m 31.708
11 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Energy Yamaha  Yamaha YZF-M1 1m 31.820
12 Aleix Espargaro ESP Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia RS-GP 1m 31.832
13 Franco Morbidelli ITA Monster Energy Yamaha  Yamaha YZF-M1 1m 31.852
14 Alex Marquez ESP LCR Honda Castrol Honda RC213V 1m 32.083
15 Danilo Petrucci ITA Tech3 KTM Factory Racing KTM RC16 1m 32.098
16 Iker Lecuona ESP Tech3 KTM Factory Racing KTM RC16 1m 32.208
17 Miguel Oliveira POR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM RC16 1m 32.214
18 Maverick Vinales ESP Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprila RS-GP 1m 32.219
19 Enea Bastianini ITA Avintia Esponsorama Ducati GP19 1m 32.219
20 Luca Marini ITA Sky VR46 Esponsorama Ducati GP19 1m 32.229
21 Valentino Rossi ITA Petronas Yamaha SRT Yamaha YZF-M1 1m 32.285

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