Honda rider Dani Pedrosa kept his stranglehold on the timesheets in FP3 at the Red Bull Gran Premio de Espana, with times tumbling in the final minutes as the floodgates opened for timeattack laps.

Second was a stunning lap from ‘Spartan’ Jorge Lorenzo, who has showed huge progress this weekend and was only two tenths off his old sparring partner at the top. Maverick Vinales was third and only 0.011 off the five-time World Champion in second.

Reigning Champion Marc Marquez was fourth as the four home heroes led the session, with the ‘Doctor’ in enemy territory Valentino Rossi  completing the top five after both men were outside the top ten on Day 1.

Cal Crutchlow was top Independent Team rider once again in P6, ahead of Jonas Folger, Scott Redding, Johann Zarco and Friday’s second fastest Jack Miller.

Andrea Iannone just missed out in P11 after a late charge, just ahead of Tito Rabat. Danilo Petrucci, Aleix Espargaro, Alvaro Bautista  and Andrea Dovizioso will be joining the tight fight to move through from Q1.

FP3 Result:

LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow was quick in both a wet FP1 and a dry FP2 in the Spanish GP, ending Friday as third fastest as he aims to get back on the podium on the paddock’s return to Europe - despite largely focusing on testing parts on Friday, rather than a laptime.

Putting in a 1:40.45 to just miss the 1:39 club of Dani Pedrosa and Jack Miller ahead of him, Crutchlow focused on a new exhaust and the electronics - with a whole lot more to try out on Saturday and the Brit looking to take the fight even further forward.

"It’s nice to have a Honda 1-2-3 today! We had a positive session, we were trying a lot of things for Honda today so I wasn’t looking at the lap time or result…so we’re positive." Said the two time GP winner

"We have a setup we didn’t change at all today because we had some parts we needed to evaluate. I’m positive we could have gone a lot quicker."

"We haven’t tried that many things as in adjustment of the suspension or anything like that," he added "we’ve been working with the electronics and obviously today we were testing a new exhaust for Honda -so we’re positive and looking forward to trying some other things tomorrow."

Ducati rider Jorge Lorenzo shot to the top in a wet FP1 at his home Spanish GP before ending the session a little further back.

But the five-time World Champion hit back in the afternoon to top the session briefly in the last few minutes of FP2 - subsequently securing P4 on the combined timesheets for Day 1.

Top Ducati and quick in both conditions, Lorenzo’s record at Jerez makes for incredible reading – and after a test at the venue on the Borgo Panigale machine already under his belt, the home hero is gunning for a big result as he debuts in red on home soil.

"Probably today’s was my best practice session this season, especially because the sensations in the final run with a new tyre were very good." Said the spaniard

"Every time I get on the Desmosedici the feeling gets better and better and, although we still have a lot of work to do, especially with used tyres and thinking of the future, today we finished positively and I was the first Ducati rider with fourth quickest time."

"It’s true that we are still some way off the leaders and that tomorrow we will have to confirm that we have made a step forward, but I think that we have margin for improvement."