It was a perfect start to the Gran Premio Red Bull de España for Repsol Honda Team as Marc Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo locked out the top two spots in MotoGP FP1.
The reigning World Champion heading the number 99 by 0.124 after setting a fastest time of 1:37.921, with Maverick Viñales third.
On a new surface at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, times were over a second quicker than they were this time last year as the premier class riders got straight down to business, with Marquez starting his weekend in traditionally fast fashion to top the times in the early stages.
But it was a great session for teammate Lorenzo, bad luck and injuries have blighted his season so far but Jerez certainly isn’t a problem by the looks of it, as a Spanish trio lead the way at the Spanish GP.Takaaki Nakagami- fastest at the preseason Jerez Test in November - was fourth fastest in FP1 to end the session 0.213 off Marquez, with Championship leader Andrea Dovizioso completing the top five as the top six were split by less than three tenths. Fabio Quartararo the man in P6.
There will be a number of riders who will be looking to improve on Friday afternoon, none more so than second in the Championship Valentino Rossi. A P18 and 1.4 seconds off the pace aren’t what The Doctor ordered in FP1.
Johann Zarco crashed late in the session at the fast Turn 11 – rider ok.
FP1 Top 10:
1. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) – 1:37.921
2. Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.124
3. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 0.191
4. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) + 0.213
5. Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) + 0.229
6. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 0.288
7. Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) + 0.543
8. Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati) + 0.553
9. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 0.557
10. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.613
