Honda lay down a marker with fastest times in FP1

Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa were fastest in the opening MotoGP session of the weekend in Montmelo with the Honda riders showing their potential for this weekend. Depsite returning to their home Grand Prix off form and struggling the Repsol Honda duo were able to set the pace and end the session almost two thirds of a second faster than Jorge Lorenzo with Aleix Espargaro third fastest.

Maverick Vinales, Yonny Hernandez and Nicky Hayden all had encouraging sessions to end FP1 inside the top seven with Valentino Rossi, Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow rounding out the top ten. Scott Redding was 12th fastest but with less than a tenth separating him from Rossi it was still an encouraging session for the Marc VDS rider.

Bradley Smith was 15th with Eugene Laverty 18th fastest.