Marc Marquez began the 2020 MotoGP season where he left off last year by topping FP1 for the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez, heading Maverick Vinales by just 0.024.
Marquez looked to be quickest out the blocks as the session got underway, with most of the 22 riders deciding to head straight out as the 45 minute test began.
It was Jack Miller though who managed to claim the top spot following the early flurry of fast times, the newly-signed factory Ducati racer posting a 1:37.942 to lead Vinales and Marc.
Things remained stable for the majority of the remainder of the session though, with the next rush for a fast time only coming in the closing few minutes.
Marquez ultimately came out on top of the shootout, claiming the fastest time of 1:37.350 on his penultimate flyer before missing out on improving the lap on his next effort by just 0.038.
Vinales was the closest to usurping the Honda ace at the head of the timesheets, the Jerez-test pace setter managing the second quickest time-just 0.024 down on Marquez.
Cal Crutchlow was third fastest on his LCR-run Honda RC213-V just under a tenth away from Marquez’s benchmark, while Andrea Dovizioso and Joan Mir slotted in their Ducati and Suzuki next machines to make it three different manufacturers in the top five positions.
Miller eventually slipped back to sixth fastest by the climax of the test, with the second GSX-RR Suzuki of Alex Rins following just behind in seventh.
Pol Espargaro led KTM’s charge with a strong eighth place showing in FP1, with Tech 3 man Iker Lecuona impressing with the ninth best time on his own RC16- just 0.002 back from factory man Espargaro- while the second official KTM of Brad Binder completed the top ten in what was an encouraging session for the Austrian marque.
Johann Zarco looked good for Avintia meanwhile by posting the 11th quickest time on his Ducati GP19, ahead of the three other Yamaha’s in the field.
Franco Morbidelli could manage just 12th in this session, albeit ahead of Valentino Rossi in 13th and Fabio Quartararo down in a lowly 17th-although the Frenchman was forced to miss the first 20 minutes of FP1 as punishment for breaking testing rules ahead of the season opener.
Aleix Espargaro was Aprilia’s fastest representative down in 15th spot with a 1:38.209, less than a second from Marquez’s session leading gambit and just over three-tenths away from the top ten-despite a small run-off at Turn 2 early on.
