Nicolas Terol set the pace in the opening practice session of a weekend once again but the overall picture looked a lot closer than usual in FP1 for the San Marino Grand Prix. The championship leader only had a tenth of a second in hand at the end of the session with Efren Vazquez taking up the challenge.
There are many reasons to believe Terol is the favourite this weekend, none more so than his crushing victory last weekend at Indianapolis. But above anything else, Terol has redemption on his mind after being outsmarted by Marc Marquez in this race last year.
Terol decided to follow his compatriot in the hope of beating him on the last lap, a tactic he has employed against the likes of Maverick Vinales and Johann Zarco this year, but Marquez would simply scamper off into the distance, taking the win.
Terol's quickest time came at the very end of the session although he already led the session at that point. His final flying lap was timed at 1:44.581 with Vazquez taking the chequered flag shortly behind him on a 1:44.753.
Terol's chief rivals in the world championship were next up with Zarco third fastest and Vinales fourth while the star of first practice had to be Alberto Moncayo in fifth. The AndalucÃa Banca Civica rider is competing just a week after injuring his collarbone at Indy but the pain certainly didn't slow him down this morning.
Danny Kent made a bright start for Red Bull Ajo Motorsport with the sixth quickest time of the morning ahead of Hector Faubel and teammate Jonas Folger. Adrian Martin got the third Aspar Aprilia into ninth place while Miguel Oliveira completed the top ten on his first visit to Misano.
Danny Webb was another rider entering this weekend with injury doubts hanging over him. The Briton put in an excellent performance to go 14th, offering hope that he may be able to complete the weekend. Harry Stafford was 29th, one place behind a surprisingly slow Sandro Cortese, while Taylor Mackenzie ended the morning in 34th.
