Autosolar GasGas Aspar Team’s Jake Dixon completed a clean sweep of fastest in FP1 and FP2 on a dream opening day at the Red Bull Grand Prix of Spain. The Brit found a further three tenths from FP1 to hold onto top spot, eventually ending a quarter of a second clear of Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Augusto Fernandez and Idemitsu Honda Team Asia’s Ai Ogura. Dixon wasn’t the only man to bounce back from some Portimao disappointment with the top seven riders all having hit the deck at the Portuguese Grand Prix. Fernandez and Ogura were back on form after contending in Portimao before rain caught them out. The same goes for the Elf Marc VDS Racing duo of Sam Lowes and Tony Arbolino, who finished their days in fourth and fifth. Autosolar GasGas Aspar Team’s Albert Arenas might have ended his day in the gravel trap after a crash at the final corner, but the Spaniard will be pleased to sit inside the top six. Victorious on his last visit to Jerez, Pedro Acosta was finding the limits of his Red Bull KTM Ajo machine before firing in a lap good enough for seventh. Portimao winner Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) was eighth ahead of the crocked Aron Canet (FlexBox HP40) and Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia). American Racing’s Cameron Beaubier is just outside of the top ten in eleventh after a crash in FP1 and then again in FP2. Championship leader Celestino Vietti will be sweating on Saturday morning as he currently holds the final spot inside the provisional Q2 spots.
Bo Bendsneyder was 17th in FP1, but in the afternoon session he was able to step his pace up and find his way into the top 14 ( P13 1.42,314 ) wich means he is directly in to Q2 as it stands.
Times FP2:
Source: motogp.com, stopandgo.es
