Marc Marquez wasn’t the only rider to crash during Friday’s two practice sessions at Mugello.
Yamaha Tech3s rookie, Bradley Smith highsided due to a cold tire during FP2 at the Casanova Savelli – Rossi’s bulging eyes and open-mouthed 2008 Mugello was inspired by the fast downhill section – and the British rider fell heavily on his left side with his hand trapped under the bike.
Smith sustained an open wound that will require skin graft surgery on Monday and he’ll probably lose a piece of the digit, and a small fracture in his left scaphoid bone, but he’ll be able to race on Sunday.
Andrea Dovizioso was another rider to crash but he did it during FP1 when the track conditions were still quite tricky.
The Ducati rider gritted his teeth to finish 7th in FP2, but he aggravated his mirco hernia – that he kept him from testing at Jerez last December and which he revealed he was suffering from a few days later after going under the knife to remove a plate from his collarbone.
Check out what the rest of the riders had to say.
Cal Crutchlow – 3rd“That was a very positive start to the weekend and I am happy to be in the top three and close to the best pace.
This morning was quite tricky with the damp patches but I was fast on the wet tyres and happy with the feeling of the bike.
This afternoon I was able to be in the top three in the dry and that is also very positive, but it is going to be very difficult to beat Jorge and Valentino.
Jorge is looking for a third straight win here, so he is very fast on this track, and Valentino obviously has some special motivation for his home race.
But I am the best of the rest again, which is a good sign and we’ve still got some things to try to improve the bike.
I’m not completely confident in some corners but I know my Monster Yamaha Tech 3 crew has some good ideas to help me improve.
It could be tricky conditions tomorrow though if we get some rain that’s been forecast, but after my second place in Le Mans and the good feeling I had in FP1 on the wet tyres, I am still very optimistic.
” Nicky Hayden – 4th “Today wasn’t easy at all—very difficult conditions, especially in FP1.
At the time, it looked like it could rain at any moment and end maybe our only semi-dry track time of the weekend, so we had to make sure we were in the top ten to not miss out on tomorrow’s Q2 session.
In the end, the position isn’t bad, but the gap to the front is large.
I expected to have a better feeling with the bike, especially with grip in the middle of the corner; both ends were moving a bit, so I couldn’t really turn well at the apex.
Maybe some of it’s down to the track being ‘green’ but that’s the same for everybody.
We’ll see what the weather does tomorrow.
Every bit of track time is valuable.
”Dani Pedrosa – 5th “Today’s practice wasn’t that good for us.
We had problem with grip and lacked rear traction and the bike wasn’t at its best because of that.
We also didn’t have a great feeling with the tyres.
In the morning session the track was half wet, half dry, so we couldn’t take any solid data from that but we hope to improve all-round for tomorrow”Andrea Iannone – 6th“At the moment everything is going really well, we definitely need to improve and find a faster pace but we especially need to try and be more consistent.
As long as the tires are new I manage to go fast enough and I feel good with the bike, but after the first five laps the back tire starts to lose its grip, especially in the very fast turns like the Arrabbiata 2, Correntaio and Bucine, and we lose a lot.
As for everything else the motorcycle is performing well, we are positive but we also have to concentrate to find a little more faith in going in with the front brakes, which perhaps were affected today by the conditions on the track and the low temperatures.
Physically I’m fine, the arm isn’t hurting, and even though this morning my knee kept bothering me, we might have found a solution with a spongy protection which we adopted during the FP2, and I think I can overcome the problem.
It’s too bad that I couldn’t do these tests here together with Andrea Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden a few weeks ago, but it just wasn’t possible.
Now the goal is to prepare for the race anyway and work on the motorcycle.
Obviously, I’d like to achieve something special.
”Andrea Dovizioso – 7th“I’m really happy that I was able to do the second session because I really didn’t think I’d be able to ride.
It’s not that what happened to me was so terrible, but it’s problematic for the riding position.
I can’t tilt my head back, so I’m not able to look ahead when I’m tucked on the straightaway or turn my head in the middle of the corners.
I must thank Dr Costa and the Medical Centre for doing what they could to help me to ride, because otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to do it.
My physiotherapist, Francesco Chionne, helped a lot as well.
Let’s hope the situation doesn’t get worse, because I’m at the limit with being able to ride.
Despite that, I’m pleased with the time.
As for my fall, I made a mistake in turn one, which was the wettest corner.
I came in a bit wide, but I wanted to try to stay on the asphalt.
I was going pretty fast and lost the front, and I started to tumble in the gravel; I twisted my neck, and it definitely had an effect on my micro-hernia.
”Stefan Bradl – 8th“First of all I think it was a strange first day due to the tricky conditions of the asphalt.
In the morning it was partially damp and, even in the afternoon, it was not completely dry so I think that Honda has bigger problems compared to the Yamaha’s in these conditions.
Actually we are not far from the pace compared to the other Honda riders and this is a good sign.
We are hoping to improve our rear grip situation because P8 is okay but not enough for us on this track”.
Randy de Puniet – 9th“I am very happy with the result today.
At Le Mans we took a step forward, but bad luck meant we couldn’t make it count in the race.
Today I had a fabulous feeling with the bike, right from the start.
We’ve worked very hard and now everything has gone well as a result.
We have improved the electronics, the power handling and the suspension response.
All these things are steps in the right direction and our lap times have been very positive -better than last year.
This makes me feel very secure with the bike.
I am fully satisfied with our work and it is the first time I have really felt like this in 2013, so I’m very happy.
Both the team and I have done a great job, it’s nice being in ninth place and just two tenths of fourth.
”Michele Pirro – 10th “It was a pretty positive day.
We were very competitive on the rain tyres this morning, when I was second.
In the dry this afternoon, I did almost the entire session in the top six.
When we put on new tyres, I had a bit of trouble with the front brakes and wasn’t able to do the time I was capable of in order to be a bit further up.
Anyway, we’re gathering data and tomorrow we hope to improve the pace and make another step forward.
We’re ready for any condition, so we’ll see what happens.
”Alvaro Bautista – 11th “I am not really happy because we didn’t get much track time this morning and then in the afternoon I struggled for confidence on the bike.
We are lacking front stability under braking and the rear traction wasn’t the best either in corner entry or exit.
Obviously it seems the Yamaha is a more competitive package here but we are still a long way behind the other Hondas.
We will work hard to improve the situation tomorrow.
”Aleix Espargaro – 12th“We had quite a good day today, even though we tried a couple of solutions with the setup that we didn’t end up liking.
We tried a new setup, but when I released the front brake the bike would not turn in as it should, and this track requires a lot of maneuverability because it has several long and very fast corners.
Today we wanted to try things out, and because didn’t draw positive conclusions from them, we will take a step back tomorrow.
The times have been pretty close to the riders at the front and with a little improvement tomorrow we can be back on form.
”Ben Spies – 16th“I feel a lot better.
In doing everyday things, I’ve seen a huge improvement, but riding a bike is a completely different story.
It’s not that easy, and we have to figure out the best direction to take.
Today’s weather conditions were pretty difficult for getting back on the track.
The second session was better, but it’s hard to get back on the bike, and I’m just trying to get back up to speed and get used to everything.
It’s now more a weakness and instability problem than pain, but I know I’m still not 100% and it shows.
I can’t control everything yet, and I’m not happy about it, even though I expected it.
Compared to Qatar and Austin, the straight-line braking strength is much better here, but on change of direction, especially in third and fourth gear chicanes while controlling the throttle and getting back on brakes–that’s where I’m struggling.
I feel much more comfortable on the bike, and it’s good to see and talk with the guys.
Let’s see what happens tomorrow.
”Karel Abraham – 18th“The morning free practice has really succeed, I was fast on the wet surface since the beginning of the practice, when the track was becoming dry I’ve managed to drive behind Valentino Rossi and I’ve improved my time.
In the afternoon, at the end of second free practice we had a technical problem with second bike.
We wanted to try two different settings on this bike; it comes from experience of previous two seasons.
Unfortunately the rear wheel got blocked several times because of technical defect and I had to come back to the garage.
At the end of the practice I’ve managed to take just one good lap.
Unfortunately I’m struggling with some cold, so I have fever and digestive problems.
I had quite tough night and I hope to feel better tomorrow, so we can focus only to racing.
“Bryan Staring – 24th “This is another new track for me so it hasn’t been easy today, made even harder by the fact we only really had one full session.
We need to be patient though and look ahead to building on what we have learnt today in the two sessions tomorrow.
”