Silverstone: Sam Lowes quickest out the blocks in rain-hit Moto2 session

With only a few dry laps at the start of each FP session in Moto2 today at the Octo British Grand Prix, the race was on to make the most of the reduced dry track time. With the intermediate class getting the brunt of the British weather with rain in the middle of the first session followed by a repeat performance in FP2, the pack failed to shuffle greatly between the two, although the majority of the field did improve their times in the afternoon.

It was Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) who got down to business first, as the former WorldSSP champion took the top spot in the morning and remained fastest after the countdown to the end of Friday’s track action. Lowes, who has a good record at Silverstone and is in the title fight in Moto2 in 2016, kicked off his home weekend the way he will have wanted as he looks to get back on the top step. Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) was second fastest on Friday as the Japanese rider’s impressive 2016 continues, with wet weather Czech GP winner Jonas Folger (Dynavolt Intact GP) completing the top three.

Alex Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0) was third fastest in the morning and ended the day one lower in P4 as the 2014 Moto3 world champion’s good form continues, ahead of Swiss veteran Tom Luthi (Garage Plus Interwetten), who returns to action in Silverstone following his crash in qualifying in Brno that saw the former 125 world champion sit out the Czech GP.

Reigning champion Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) was sixth by the end of the day, with the second Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS machine of Franco Morbidelli behind the Frenchman and ahead of fellow Italian Lorenzo Baldassari (Forward Racing). Simone Corsi (Speed Up Racing) was ninth quickest, ahead of Axel Pons (AGR Team), who completed the top ten.

Alex Rins (Paginas Amarillas HP 40) remained in P24 at the end of the day, but with a significantly quicker lap time as the Spaniard rides through the pain barrier after breaking his collarbone in a training crash ahead of the event.

The Moto2 grid will now be hoping for a drier FP3 on Saturday morning, before they get back on track to fight it out for the starting grid ahead of Sunday’s race.