Marquez leads red flag-hit wet FP1

Full MotoGP FP1 results from Valencia

Marc Marquez heads up the times in a tricky opening free practice at Valencia in heavy rain which was suspended by a red flag midway through as conditions turned unsafe at Circuit Ricardo Tormo.

The reigning MotoGP world champion made the most of the improving weather at the end of session to set a 1m 39.767s to go top from Pramac Ducati duo Jack Miller and Danilo Petrucci.

FP1 was suspended for 35 minutes as the rain got heavier at Valencia, dausing unsafe track conditions, but with the weather relenting the session resumed albeit on a very wet circuit surface.

Marquez, who had a customary impressive save towards the end of FP1, held on to top spot when Miller crashed out late on which saw the Australian briefly get trapped under his Ducati GP17 before being able to walk away unhurt.

With Petrucci slotting into third, factory Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso claimed fourth ahead of the retiring Dani Pedrosa who will contest his final MotoGP race this weekend.

Andrea Iannone led the Suzuki charge in sixth place, almost a full second off Marquez’s best lap, with Maverick Vinales aiming to show glimpses of wet-weather promise for Movistar Yamaha after struggling in the rain during qualifying at Sepang last time out.

Ducati wildcard rider Michele Pirro slotted into eighth place ahead of an impressive showing from Red Bull KTM’s Pol Espargaro with Suzuki’s Alex Rins rounding out the top ten.

Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro was 11^th ahead of Yamaha pair Valentino Rossi and Johann Zarco.

Jorge Lorenzo made a tentative comeback after withdrawing from the Malaysia MotoGP due to injury with his recently-operated left wrist, with the Ducati rider ending FP1 19^th but with a useful bank of 15 laps completed (compared to the 18 laps from timesheet-topper Marquez).