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Miller tops Portuguese MotoGP practice as Pol Espargaro suffers horror crash / Photo: PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA - AFP
Miller tops Portuguese MotoGP practice as Pol Espargaro suffers horror crash
Australian Jack Miller was fastest at a chaotic practice session for the season-opening Portuguese MotoGP on Friday as Spanish veteran Pol Espargaro was hospitalised after a violent crash.
Miller clocked a best time of 1min 37.709sec on a KTM, setting a new lap record at the Portimao circuit.
Maverick Vinales, of Aprilia, and reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia, on a Ducati, filled out the top three.
However, the high-speed crash suffered by 31-year-old Espargaro on his KTM Tech3 GASGAS bike caused a long interruption to the session which eventually finished around two hours late.
The Spaniard, who moved to his new team after two disappointing seasons at Honda, lost control of his machine on Turn 10 in the second session and was catapulted off the track.
Espargaro was treated trackside for around half an hour before being airlifted to hospital by helicopter.
A crash in the dying minutes of the session for six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez on a factory Honda meant the Spaniard was out of the Top 10.
He will have to fight through the first qualifying session for a chance of a spot in the second run on Saturday.
(B.Hartmann--BBZ)
