Day one of the Catalan Grand Prix was overshadowed by the loss of Moto2 rider Luis Salom, who succumbed to injuries sustained in a crash during FP2 at turn 12 of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. With the blessing of the Salom family, it was agreed among the riders, teams and the Safety Commission that the Catalan Grand Prix will carry on.
In light of safety concerns, a Safety Commission meeting was held with Marc Marquez, Andrea Iannone, Pol Espargaro, Jack Miller, Bradley Smith, Alvaro Bautista, Aleix Espargaro, Andrea Dovizioso, Tito Rabat and Cal Crutchlow in attendance. The end result was to run the F1 track configuration for the remainder of the weekend in efforts to slow down the entry into turn 12, which lacks a complete gravel-run-off section.
This layout was tested two years ago in an official MotoGP Test, but was vetoed back for Grand Prix Racing as it was deemed less attractive and demanding in terms of sport than the traditional layout. To bring riders up to speed with the all-new track configuration, FP3 will be extended 15 minutes.
Movistar Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo sits on provisional pole ahead of FP1 fast man Maverick Vinales on the Team Suzuki Ecstar machine. LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow rounded out the top three.
2016 MotoGP Catalunya Day One Combined Results:
Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Movistar Yamaha 1:41.712
Maverick Vinales (SPA) Team Suzuki Ecstar 1:41.954
Cal Crutchlow (GBR) LCR Honda 1:42.011
Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda 1:42.196
Scott Redding (GBR) Octo Pramac Yakhnich Ducati 1:42.282
Valentino Rossi (ITA) Movistar Yamaha 1:42.296
Hector Barbera (SPA) Avintia Ducati 1:42.308
Andrea Iannone (ITA) Ducati 1:42.461
Marc Marquez (SPA) Repsol Honda 1:42.485
Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Ducati 1:42.490
Yonny Hernandez (COL) Aspar Honda 1:42.516
Aleix Espargaro (SPA) Team Suzuki Ecstar 1:42.539
Pol Espargaro (SPA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:42.709
Danilo Petrucci (ITA) Octo Pramac Yakhnich Ducati 1:42.830
Eugene Laverty (IRL) Aspar Ducati 1:42.870
Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Aprilia 1:43.180
Michele Pirro (ITA) Avintia Ducati 1:43.461
Bradley Smith (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:43.470
Stefan Bradl (GER) Aprilia 1:43.502
Jack Miller (AUS) Marc VDS Honda 1:43.621
Tito Rabat (SPA) EG 0.0 Marc VDS 1:43.648