Marquez tops incident-packed opening practice for Australian MotoGP

PHILLIP ISLAND (Australia): World champion Marc Marquez topped the timesheets in an incident-packed first practice at the Australian MotoGP on Friday ahead of Raul Fernandez and Jack Miller who both took nasty tumbles.

The Spanish Ducati rider clocked a last-gasp blistering lap of 1min 27.985sec around the waterfront Phillip Island circuit – which is hosting its final MotoGP – in warm but windy conditions.

Championship leader Jorge Martin, who is two points clear of Marquez with five rounds of the season left, came seventh on his Aprilia.

Marco Bezzecchi, who won last week in Indonesia and is third in the standings, was fourth, also on an Aprilia.

Marquez's fastest time put him 0.048 ahead of last year's Australian grand prix winner Fernandez, who skidded off at Turn 7 and barrel-rolled across the gravel mid-way through the session.

Iker Lecuona, standing in for the injured Fermin Aldeguer at Ducati-Gresini, also suffered a fall at the same corner, bouncing off a tyre wall.

Both men walked away uninjured.

Home hero Miller was another to crash out at high-speed, this time at Turn 2, just seconds after setting the fastest time. He gave the thumbs up afterwards to signal he was okay.

Brad Binder, meanwhile, suffered a big engine failure on the main straight, pulling off with white smoke billowing from his KTM.

Phillip Island has been a staple on the calendar since 1997, but the Australian race is moving next year to a street circuit in Adelaide.

The second practice session, from which the top 10 riders go straight into Saturday's second round of qualifying, gets underway at 3:00 pm (0400 GMT). - AFP