Johann Zarco topped a wet first free practice session ahead of the Czech Grand Prix, the Tech3 rider edging championship leader Marc Marquez by 0.039 seconds in the closing stages.
After a four-week hiatus following the German Grand Prix, MotoGP roared back into life this morning at the 3.36-mile Brno circuit.
In the early part of the session, top spot swapped hands constantly, with Ducati’s Jorge Lorenzo taking charge with a 2m06.101s after the opening 15 minutes.
The Spaniard was soon deposed by Marquez, who in turn was shuffled back by Barbera with 22 minutes left on the clock.
As the session reached its climax, Zarco shot to the top of the standings with a 2m05.201s – a time which came under threat, but was not bettered when the chequered flag was flown.
Marquez got to within four hundredths of a second of the Frenchman on a 2m05.240s, while Lorenzo completed the top three with a 2m05.321s.
Dani Pedrosa – along with team-mate Marquez – ran a version of HRC’s aerodynamic fairing which was homologated prior to the Qatar Grand Prix.
Both riders carried out two days of testing at Brno just after the Sachsenring and trialled a new chassis. However, both have opted against running it this weekend. Pedrosa ended first practice fourth fastest, 0.245s off the pace.
Movistar Yamaha has struggled in the wet conditions at the Sachsenring last time out, but looked on better form this morning with both Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales completing the top six – albeit over half a second adrift of Tech3’s Zarco.
Danilo Petrucci slotted ahead of Barbera in seventh spot, while Aleix Espargaro – who ran at the top of the timesheets briefly – and the second Tech3 bike of Jonas Folger rounded out the top 10.
Loris Baz just missed out on the top 10 in 11th, while 2016 Brno race winner Cal Crutchlow was a low-key 12th, as was Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso. Scott Redding and Alvaro Bautista completed the top 15, while Andrea Iannone wrestled his Suzuki GSX-RR to 16th.
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