Andrea Dovizioso outpaced Cal Crutchlow by 0.105 seconds to top the opening practice session for the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix.
Championship leader Marc Marquez led the timesheets for much of the session, but was deposed by Dovizioso late on, with the Ducati rider firing in a 1:45.358s to cement top spot.
The first dry session at Motegi in two years got underway with Yamaha wildcard Katsuyuki Nakasuga setting the early pace with a 1:49.289s, before fellow M1 rider Johann Zarco took over with a 1:48.537s.
The Tech3 rider improved further to a 1:46.984s, but was soon usurped by Honda's Marquez – who comes into the Motegi weekend with his first chance at winning the title – with a 1:46.193s.
Marquez bettered this marginally to a 1:46.187s to go just over three tenths clear of Honda stablemate Cal Crutchlow on the LCR RC213V.
With just over have the session gone, 2017 Motegi winner Andrea Dovizioso cut Marquez's advantage down to just 0.009s, though the Honda man soon responded with laps at 1:46.120s and 1:46.010s.
Marquez remained top of the pile until the final five minutes, when Dovizioso took over with a 1:45.738s, which he improved on his next tour to a 1:45.358s.
This came under some threat from Marquez and Zarco on their final laps, but neither were able to usurp Dovizioso, while Crutchlow leaped up to second with a 1:45.463s.
Zarco was 0.020s further back of Crutchlow as top Yamaha runner in third, with Marquez fourth ahead Maverick Vinales.
Andrea Iannone was top Suzuki rider in sixth, while Alvaro Bautista held onto seventh despite throwing his Nieto Ducati at the scenery of Turn 1 in the closing stages.
Pramac's Jack Miller was eighth in the morning session, with Valentino Rossi dragging his Yamaha up to ninth with a last-ditch effort of 1:46.329s. Aleix Espargaro completed the top 10 on his Aprilia.
Jorge Lorenzo took to the track at the start of the session for the first time since his FP2 crash at Buriram, but only completed one lap and looks in serious doubt to continue for the rest of the weekend.
Japanese wildcard Nakasuga ended the morning 15th, while Suzuki wildcard Sylvain Guintoli was 21st on a GSX-RR fitted with 2019 parts.
Discussion about this post