The Ducati Lenovo Team’s Jack Miller has lived up to his reputation as a rain master with the fastest lap in MotoGP™ FP1 at the Motul TT Assen. The man who achieved his first ever premier class race win when the heavens opened at the TT Circuit Assen in 2016 was best again in the opening session of the 2022 Dutch GP weekend with a late 1:42.589, ahead of Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team).
Rain fell throughout the 45-minute session and it was ‘Thriller’ Miller who was quickest after the first runs on a 1:44.523 before the showers got heavier. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) was one of few to persevere through that particularly difficult middle segment of FP1 and gradually climbed to second on a 1:44.570. However, when the weather began to improve in the final 10 minutes, those times were blown away despite Michelin’s wet tyres continuing to be the only option.
Some combinations just work don't they ????@jackmilleraus tops a wet #MotoGP FP1 here at Assen! ????#DutchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/GolWjD4wVz
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) June 24, 2022
Miller clocked his fastest lap just before the chequered flag, as did Mir when he set a 1:42.698 to be just 0.109 seconds slower. Both Mir and Pol Espargaro had brief periods on top of the timing screen and the latter would finish third courtesy of a 1:42.891. Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) made it two Hondas in the top four when he came through after the chequered flag on a 1:42.959, while Alex Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was the last rider within half a second of Miller’s pace on a 1:43.030.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Miguel Oliveira made it five manufacturers in the top six with his 1:43.091 while Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), who had to pull out of the German Grand Prix last weekend due to pain in his fractured wrist, took seventh on a 1:43.116. Rounding out the top 10 were Zarco, his Prima Pramac Racing team-mate Jorge Martin, and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), the latter at 0.828 seconds away from top spot. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) got shuffled back to 11th while World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) finished 17th at 1.659 seconds off the pace.
???? @JohannZarco1 and his rear tyre working overtime trying to get the power down! #DutchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/jBaNj20OoP
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) June 24, 2022
With rivers of water in a handful of locations and plenty of spray, it was no surprise that some riders hit the deck during the session. The Haarbocht was particularly challenging, with several riders running wide, some all the way through the gravel, at that first corner of the TT Circuit Assen. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) had a spill there in the seventh minute, and Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) lost it very early under brakes about seven minutes later again. Bezzecchi would bounce back with a 1:43.542 to finish the session in 14th and while Bastianini too ventured back out and set a faster lap, he would prop up the timesheet on a 1:46.446.
Absolutely nothing @Bestia23 could do about that one! ????#DutchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/OKTDh3btUh
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) June 24, 2022
Catch all the excitement of FP2 later on Friday from 14:10 (GMT +2)!
MotoGP™ FP1 Top 10:
1. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1:42.589
2. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.109
3. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.302
4. Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) + 0.370
5. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) + 0.441
6. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 0.502
7. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.527
8. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) + 0.561
9. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) + 0.600
10. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) + 0.828