Jerez MotoGP testing: Petrucci leads Ducati 1-2 on first day – MotoGP

New factory Ducati MotoGP rider Danilo Petrucci set the pace on the penultimate day of 2018 testing at Jerez ahead of team-mate Andrea Dovizioso.

Petrucci leapt to the top of the timesheets at the start of the final hour of running, becoming the first and only rider on the day to break the 1m38s barrier with a best time of 1m37.968s.

Not long after, LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami went second-fastest on a 1m38.348s, although he was demoted to third in the closing stages by Dovizioso, who ended up 0.217 seconds behind Petrucci on a 1m38.185s.

Dovizioso also suffered a crash at Turn 5 in the final hour.

Maverick Vinales, who was quickest on both days of last week’s Valencia test, was the best-placed Yamaha rider in fourth, four tenths off the pace, followed by Marc Marquez on the first of the works Hondas.

Marquez’s new team-mate Jorge Lorenzo enjoyed a brief spell at the head of the times on his livery-less Honda, and ended the day seventh fastest behind Franco Morbidelli’s Petronas Yamaha.

Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati), Ducati stand-in test rider Alvaro Bautista and Suzuki’s Joan Mir completed the top 10.

Mir caused the day’s only red flag when he suffered a major off at Turn 7. He was taken to the medical centre for checks, but did not suffer any significant injuries.

Andrea Iannone was another rider to take a tumble, the new Aprilia rider doing so at Turn 5. He was 11th-fastest.

Heading KTM’s efforts was Pol Espargaro in 15th place – two places ahead of Valentino Rossi, whose Yamaha suffered a technical problem that caused him to stop on track, costing him vital running.

Johann Zarco’s low-key start to life at KTM continued as he finished the day in 19th, one place behind Aprilia tester Bradley Smith – the man he replaces at the Austrian manufacturer.

Of the other test riders, Sylvain Guintoli was 22nd fastest for Suzuki, while Matteo Baiocco, standing in for the unwell Aleix Espargaro at Aprilia, propped up the order in 24th.

Stefan Bradl was due to take part in the test with the Honda test team but instead completed his work on Monday, sharing the track with the World Superbike field, and sat out Wednesday’s running.

Wednesday test times