Aprilia Racing’s Maverick Viñales has set the pace in MotoGP™ FP4 at the Animoca Brands Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. The Spaniard had already gone top by clocking a 1:29.089 with just over five minutes to go when he backed that up with a 1:28.976. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) had been the previous fastest rider on a 1:29.198 and that time would see the Frenchman classified second, ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), and Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™).
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), who set the quickest lap of FP3, was only 13th but FP4 is, of course, not usually a session for out and out time attacks. With that in mind, it was interesting to note that the vast majority of the field decided to experiment with Michelin’s hard rear tyre, as temperatures rise and the wind drops at Phillip Island. That could be a factor in Sunday’s race, but for now, we turn our focus to qualifying.