Lorenzo tops opening day of MotoGP practice

Jorge Lorenzo
Jorge Lorenzo

Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) was quickest on Day 1 at the Motul Gran Premio de la Comunitat Valenciana, taking to the top late on in FP2 as a number of high profile crashers also marked the session, including FP1’s fastest Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Championship leader Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), who has the most wins at Valencia across all classes, was second fastest behind Lorenzo, with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) the fastest of the title challengers in third to complete the good news for the Borgo Panigale factory.

Iannone ended Day 1 in fourth on combined times, ahead of Rookie of the Year and top Independent Team rider Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3). Marquez was sixth, with Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) taking P7 after a stunning session in the morning – and exactly the same laptime in both sessions.

Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) was eighth, with Ducati team test rider and wildcard Michele Pirro putting in another impressive performance to go ninth quickest overall. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) impressed once more, close to the top in the morning and then able to complete the top ten at the end of action.

It was a more difficult first day for the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP duo, with Valentino Rossi in eleventh to edge teammate Maverick Vinales in P12. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was thirteenth despite a crash as he returns from injury, with Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing) and Karel Abraham (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) the final of the fastest fifteen on Friday.

Friday Results

Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Constructor Time/Gap
1 LORENZO Jorge 99 SPA Ducati Team Ducati 1'30.640
2 PEDROSA Dani 26 SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 0.122
3 DOVIZIOSO Andrea 4 ITA Ducati Team Ducati 0.309
4 ZARCO Johann 5 FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 0.414
5 MARQUEZ Marc 93 SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 0.603
6 MILLER Jack 43 AUS EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda 0.717
7 CRUTCHLOW Cal 35 GBR LCR Honda Honda 0.743
8 PIRRO Michele 51 ITA Ducati Test Team Ducati 0.773
9 ROSSI Valentino 46 ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 0.848
10 ESPARGARO Pol 44 SPA Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 0.975
11 VINALES Maverick 25 SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 0.984
12 ESPARGARO Aleix 41 SPA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 1.058
13 REDDING Scott 45 GBR Octo Pramac Racing Ducati 1.093
14 ABRAHAM Karel 17 CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team Ducati 1.218
15 RINS Alex 42 SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki 1.236
16 BARBERA Hector 8 SPA Reale Avintia Racing Ducati 1.286
17 RABAT Tito 53 SPA EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda 1.318
18 IANNONE Andrea 29 ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki 1.326
19 KALLIO Mika 36 FIN Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 1.326
20 BAUTISTA Alvaro 19 SPA Pull&Bear Aspar Team Ducati 1.436
21 BAZ Loris 76 FRA Reale Avintia Racing Ducati 1.511
22 PETRUCCI Danilo 9 ITA Octo Pramac Racing Ducati 1.552
23 SMITH Bradley 38 GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 1.817
24 LOWES Sam 22 GBR Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 1.947
25 VAN DER MARK Michael 60 NDL Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 2.461