Silverstone Moto2: Zarco tops frantic free practice 2

Johann Zarco finished the first day at Silverstone as top of the Moto2 riders, after emerging on top from a frantic final few minutes of the second free practice session for the middleweight machines.

With the entire top six on fast laps as the session drew to a close, there was movement across the timing screens, with first Tito Rabat, then Luthi going second fastest to Zarco, before Takaai Nakagami knocked him too bad a spot.

However, the Swiss rider was able to respond and posted a 2’08.2 lap as the flag dropped to hold the provisional pole position, by 0.03 from Nakagami.

Luthi was third and Rabat fourth, with Scott Redding finishing the session back in fifth, after his last lap moved him forward from seventh. Crucially, he was fast enough to displace championship rival Pol Espargaro back to sixth, gaining a physiological win over the Spaniard.

Jordi Torres was seventh, while Danny Kent continued an excellent run of form to finish the session in eighth on his Tech3 Mistral bike.

Wildcard Gino Rea improved his performance from the morning session to finish 16th, while British Supersport racer Jason O’Halloran, deputising for the injured Mike de Meglio, remained 26th.

1 5 Johann ZARCO FRA Came Iodaracing Project Suter 263.3 2’08.209
2 30 Takaaki NAKAGAMI JPN Italtrans Racing Team Kalex 257.5 2’08.240 0.031 / 0.031
3 12 Thomas LUTHI SWI Interwetten Paddock Moto2 Racing Suter 261.3 2’08.340 0.131 / 0.100
4 80 Esteve RABAT SPA Tuenti HP 40 Kalex 259.1 2’08.380 0.171 / 0.040
5 45 Scott REDDING GBR Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex 256.7 2’08.506 0.297 / 0.126
6 40 Pol ESPARGARO SPA Tuenti HP 40 Kalex 264.7 2’08.517 0.308 / 0.011
7 81 Jordi TORRES SPA Aspar Team Moto2 Suter 260.8 2’08.607 0.398 / 0.090
8 52 Danny KENT GBR Tech 3 Tech 3 261.3 2’08.705 0.496 / 0.098
9 77 Dominique AEGERTER SWI Technomag carXpert Suter 260.7 2’08.776 0.567 / 0.071
10 19 Xavier SIMEON BEL Maptaq SAG Zelos Team Kalex 256.4 2’08.987 0.778 / 0.211
16 8 Gino REA GBR Gino Rea Montaze Broz Racing FTR 259.6 2’09.488 1.279 / 0.012
26 22 Jason O’HALLORAN AUS JiR Moto2 Motobi 253.1 2’10.820 2.611 / 0.264