VALENCIA: Spanish rider Aleix Espargaro set the fastest time in free practice today for the season-ending Valencia MotoGP, a whisker ahead of Australian rider Jack Miller.
Aprilia rider Espargaro was just 18 thousandths of a second quicker than Miller on a Ducati, with already-crowned world champion Fabio Quartararo in ninth place.
Valentino Rossi’s Italian protege Francesco Bagnaia was cruising in fourth, safe in the knowledge that he has already sewn up the runner’s-up spot in the driver’s standings.
Bagnaia will try to secure a sixth consecutive pole position in qualifying later today.
Valentino Rossi, the nine-time world champion riding in the final race of his career, also squeezed into the top ten.