Hector Barbera (Reale Avintia Racing) surprisingly topped the time sheets in FP1, but Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) wasn’t far behind. At the end of the session, Dovizioso took the top spot back off Barbera, but subsequently had his lap cancelled for exceeding track limits.
Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) rounded out the top three, after a late lunge shot him further up the times.
The Ducatis went well here last year, but Barbera certainly wasn’t the other Ducati we expected to see at the top. Jorge Lorenzo (the other factory Ducati) ended the session in ninth.
The weather is in doubt for this afternoon’s session, with wet weather and thunderstorms forecast. The FP1 order could well be the order for Q2 tomorrow.
The top ten:
1. Hector Barbera – (Reale Avintia Racing) – 1:24.631
2. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) – +0.088
3. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) – +0.113
4. Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) – +0.121
5. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) – +0.250
6. Johann Zarco – (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) – +0.264
7. Danilo Petrucci – (Octo Pramac Racing) – +0.341
8. Scott Redding – (Octo Pramac Racing) – +0.377
9. Jorge Lorenzo – (Dcuati Team) – +0.407
10. Cal Crutchlow – (LCR Honda) – +0.598
