Scott Redding - Photo Credit: MotoGP.com
Scott Redding put in a sensational performance on Friday afternoon to top the timesheets at Estoril ahead of Marc Marquez. The British teenager was the only man in the 1m41s bracket until Marquez improved in the dying seconds and will feel he has a genuine chance of his first Moto2 pole position tomorrow.
Thomas Luthi had led the session early on with a 1:42.513 and improved by a further tenth of a second at the halfway stage but Redding threw down the gauntlet with 15 minutes to go, going three quarters of a second quicker on his Marc VDS Kalex. Luthi improved on his final run but could only close to within four tenths and it was left to Marquez to take up the challenge. The championship leader left it until the dying seconds to join Redding in the 1:41s, albeit two tenths adrift in second.
Toni Elias entered the season as one of the favourites for the title but has been largely anonymous so far. But at the scene of his only MotoGP victory, the Aspar rider came to life and set the fourth fastest time, just under half a second behind Redding.
Fresh from his maiden Moto2 win last weekend, Pol Espargaro took fifth while Bradley Smith showed signs that the Tech 3 Mistral 610 is growing in competitiveness by setting the sixth fastest time. Alex de Angelis was seventh ahead of Dominique Aegerter and the impressive Johann Zarco while Mika Kallio completed the top ten.
Gino Rea was 23rd for Federal Oil Gresini but blotted his copybook with a crash in each session. He wasn't the only one to hit the deck though with Mike Di Meglio and Angel Rodriguez sliding off the road this afternoon.
Moto2 Grande Premio de Portugal Circuito Estoril: Combined Friday Practice Times
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Bike | Team | Time/Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scott Redding | GBR | Kalex | Marc VDS Racing Team | 1:41.775 |
| 2 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Suter | Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol | +0.203 |
| 3 | Thomas Luthi | SWI | Suter | Interwetten-Paddock | +0.401 |
| 4 | Toni Elias | SPA | Suter | Mapfre Aspar Team | +0.452 |
| 5 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Kalex | Pons 40 HP Tuenti | +0.590 |
| 6 | Bradley Smith | GBR | Tech 3 | Tech 3 Racing | +0.799 |
| 7 | Alex De Angelis | RSM | Suter | NGM Mobile Forward Racing | +0.807 |
| 8 | Dominique Aegerter | SWI | Suter | Technomag-CIP | +0.826 |
| 9 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Motobi | JIR Moto2 | +0.894 |
| 10 | Mika Kallio | FIN | Kalex | Marc VDS Racing Team | +0.936 |
| 11 | Ricard Cardus | SPA | AJR | Arguiñano Racing Team | +0.957 |
| 12 | Claudio Corti | ITA | Kalex | Italtrans Racing Team | +1.002 |
| 13 | Simone Corsi | ITA | FTR | Came IodaRacing Project | +1.009 |
| 14 | Xavier Simeon | BEL | Tech 3 | Tech 3 Racing | +1.121 |
| 15 | Takaaki Nakagami | JAP | Kalex | Italtrans Racing Team | +1.143 |
| 16 | Mike Di Meglio | FRA | Speed Up | S/Master Speed Up | +1.191 |
| 17 | Anthony West | AUS | Moriwaki | QMMF Racing Team | +1.368 |
| 18 | Nicolas Terol | SPA | Suter | Mapfre Aspar Team | +1.430 |
| 19 | Yuki Takahashi | JAP | Suter | NGM Mobile Forward Racing | +1.474 |
| 20 | Randy Krummenacher | SWI | Suter | GP Team Switzerland | +1.496 |
| 21 | Julian Simon | SPA | FTR | Blusens Avintia | +1.509 |
| 22 | Esteve Rabat | SPA | Kalex | Pons 40 HP Tuenti | +1.661 |
| 23 | Gino Rea | GBR | Moriwaki | Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 | +2.068 |
| 24 | Axel Pons | SPA | Kalex | Pons 40 HP Tuenti | +2.163 |
| 25 | Max Neukirchner | GER | Kalex | Kiefer Racing | +2.245 |
| 26 | Ratthapark Wilairot | THA | Moriwaki | Thai Honda Gresini Moto2 | +2.307 |
| 27 | Roberto Rolfo | ITA | Suter | Technomag-CIP | +2.370 |
| 28 | Andrea Iannone | ITA | Speed Up | Speed Master | +2.461 |
| 29 | Angel Rodriguez | SPA | FTR | SAG Team | +2.923 |
| 30 | Alexander Lundh | SWE | MZ FTR | Cresto Guide MZ Racing | +3.811 |
| 31 | Elena Rosell | SPA | Moriwaki | QMMF Racing Team | +4.351 |
| 32 | Marco Colandrea | ITA | FTR | SAG Team | +5.515 |
