Lorenzo tops opening practice in Valencia

Jorge Lorenzo
Jorge Lorenzo

Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) began his final MotoGP weekend in Yamaha colors in dominant style, taking the top spot by almost four tenths from teammate Valentino Rossi. 2016 Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was third, only a fraction behind the Italian at Valencia.

Sepang winner Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) was fourth, with Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) beginning his final weekend with Tech 3 in the top five.

Team Suzuki Ecstar duo Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro were P6 and P7, with Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS), Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Yakhnich) and Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) completing the top ten.

Returning Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) began his first weekend back in action following his highside in Motegi getting up to speed slowly – before incredibly ending FP1 in P12.

Mika Kallio’s first outing on the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine in Valencia saw the Finn at the back, but only two seconds off the current World Champion in the bike’s first taste of competition.

Results FP1

Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Bike Time Behind Gap
1 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 1'31.045 0.000 0.000
2 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 1'31.432 0.387 0.387
3 93 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'31.442 0.397 0.010
4 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team Ducati 1'31.532 0.487 0.090
5 44 Pol ESPARGARO SPA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'31.785 0.740 0.253
6 25 Maverick VINALES SPA Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki 1'31.926 0.881 0.141
7 41 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki 1'31.942 0.897 0.016
8 43 Jack MILLER AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Honda 1'32.155 1.110 0.213
9 45 Scott REDDING GBR OCTO Pramac Yakhnich Ducati 1'32.212 1.167 0.057
10 29 Andrea IANNONE ITA Ducati Team Ducati 1'32.265 1.220 0.053
11 8 Hector BARBERA SPA Avintia Racing Ducati 1'32.285 1.240 0.020
12 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'32.453 1.408 0.168
13 9 Danilo PETRUCCI ITA OCTO Pramac Yakhnich Ducati 1'32.479 1.434 0.026
14 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR LCR Honda Honda 1'32.576 1.531 0.097
15 53 Tito RABAT SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Honda 1'32.637 1.592 0.061
16 6 Stefan BRADL GER Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 1'32.845 1.800 0.208
17 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 1'32.924 1.879 0.079
18 38 Bradley SMITH GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'33.056 2.011 0.132
19 68 Yonny HERNANDEZ COL Pull & Bear Aspar Team Ducati 1'33.161 2.116 0.105
20 50 Eugene LAVERTY IRL Pull & Bear Aspar Team Ducati 1'33.349 2.304 0.188
21 76 Loris BAZ FRA Avintia Racing Ducati 1'33.506 2.461 0.157
22 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 1'33.985 2.940 0.479