Aleix Espargaro was quickest rider on track – in record pace – in the second practice run at the Iveco Daily TT Assen for the MotoGP™ class, in front of Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa in the top three.
Espargaro (NGM Forward Racing) produced the fastest ever lap of the current Assen track (1’33.653) towards the end of FP2 on a soft rear tyre, the Spaniard beating Casey Stoner’s 2012 lap record (1’33.713). Espargaro had also been second quickest in the morning session.
Repsol Honda’s young World Champion Marquez was second overall, a 0.211 gap behind Espargaro, with Dani Pedrosa in third place (0.416s) at a track which is usualy regarded to favour Yamaha.
Indeed the fastest factory Yamaha lap was set by Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) in fourth place, just under half a second off P1 pace.
Another good showing from Pramac Racing’s Andrea Iannone left him fifth, despite a run-off track in both Thursday sessions for the Italian.
Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3) and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) were classed in sixth and seventh respectively, with an identical 1’34.286 lap time.
Results:
| Pos. | Num. | Rider | Nation | Team | Bike | Time | Gap 1st/Prev. |
| 1 | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARO | SPA | NGM Forward Racing | Forward Yamaha | 1’33.653 | |
| 2 | 93 | Marc MARQUEZ | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 1’33.864 | 0.211 / 0.211 |
| 3 | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 1’34.069 | 0.416 / 0.205 |
| 4 | 99 | Jorge LORENZO | SPA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 1’34.148 | 0.495 / 0.079 |
| 5 | 29 | Andrea IANNONE | ITA | Pramac Racing | Ducati | 1’34.277 | 0.624 / 0.129 |
| 6 | 38 | Bradley SMITH | GBR | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 1’34.286 | 0.633 / 0.009 |
| 7 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 1’34.286 | 0.633 |
| 8 | 44 | Pol ESPARGARO | SPA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 1’34.408 | 0.755 / 0.122 |
| 9 | 6 | Stefan BRADL | GER | LCR Honda MotoGP | Honda | 1’34.457 | 0.804 / 0.049 |
| 10 | 4 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 1’34.460 | 0.807 / 0.003 |
| 11 | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | GO&FUN Honda Gresini | Honda | 1’34.466 | 0.813 / 0.006 |
| 12 | 45 | Scott REDDING | GBR | GO&FUN Honda Gresini | Honda | 1’35.445 | 1.792 / 0.979 |
| 13 | 35 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | GBR | Ducati Team | Ducati | 1’35.469 | 1.816 / 0.024 |
| 14 | 68 | Yonny HERNANDEZ | COL | Energy T.I. Pramac Racing | Ducati | 1’35.537 | 1.884 / 0.068 |
| 15 | 5 | Colin EDWARDS | USA | NGM Forward Racing | Forward Yamaha | 1’35.590 | 1.937 / 0.053 |
| 16 | 7 | Hiroshi AOYAMA | JPN | Drive M7 Aspar | Honda | 1’35.787 | 2.134 / 0.197 |
| 17 | 69 | Nicky HAYDEN | USA | Drive M7 Aspar | Honda | 1’35.891 | 2.238 / 0.104 |
| 18 | 17 | Karel ABRAHAM | CZE | Cardion AB Motoracing | Honda | 1’35.925 | 2.272 / 0.034 |
| 19 | 23 | Broc PARKES | AUS | Paul Bird Motorsport | PBM | 1’36.046 | 2.393 / 0.121 |
| 20 | 8 | Hector BARBERA | SPA | Avintia Racing | Avintia | 1’36.270 | 2.617 / 0.224 |
| 21 | 70 | Michael LAVERTY | GBR | Paul Bird Motorsport | PBM | 1’36.280 | 2.627 / 0.010 |
| 22 | 9 | Danilo PETRUCCI | ITA | Octo IodaRacing Team | ART | 1’36.657 | 3.004 / 0.377 |
| 23 | 63 | Mike DI MEGLIO | FRA | Avintia Racing | Avintia | 1’36.724 | 3.071 / 0.067 |
Text from MotoGP.com
