MotoGP: Home hero Petrucci on top at Misano

Home hero Danilo Petrucci has topped the opening day of action at his home race, ending the day at the San Marino Grand Prix fractionally ahead of Maverick Viñales to lead a strong day for Ducati only miles from the home in Bologna.

Speaking afterwards, he said: “It was a good day. I wanted to start strongly after the difficulties of Silverstone’s free practices, and after the test in July I knew I had a good bike here even though the weather conditions and the tyres were different.  I am very happy about how we started the weekend, because it is going to be fundamental to start in a forward position here in Misano.”

Petrucci ended the day only 0.005 ahead of Viñales on the Pramac Ducati, with 0.063 covering the entire provisional front row with the factory Ducati of Andrea Dovizioso in third place only 0.058 behind his Yamaha-mounted championship rival.

Last year’s winner Dani Pedrosa heads the all-Honda second row from Marc Marquez and Cal Crutchlow, while the remaining two factory Ducatis of wildcard Michele Pirro and Jorge Lorenzo rounded out the top eight ahead of Andrea Iannone and Tito Rabat.