Cal Crutchlow has pipped Alex Rins by a narrow margin on the first day of MotoGP running at the Buriram International Circuit in Thailand.
Crutchlow shook off an earlier crash to lap the newest circuit on the calendar in a best time of 1:30.797s on his LCR Honda during the final hour of the eight-hour session.
Rins went second-fastest also during the same hour, falling just 0.012s short of top spot on his Suzuki.
Defending world champion Marc Marquez had been fastest for the majority of the day and the Repsol Honda rider’s best effort held up for third position by the end of the session.
Ducati Team riders Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo each tested a different aerodynamic fairing as they were classified fourth and 10th respectively.
Jack Miller was seventh-fastest, one position behind Pramac Ducati team-mate Danilo Petrucci.
Of the Movistar Yamahas, Valentino Rossi was eighth-fastest on his 39th birthday and Maverick Viñales 11th.
Red Bell KTM’s Pol Espargaro is sitting out the test after suffering a spinal disc herniation in a high-speed crash during the most recent test at Sepang.
The three-day test continues tomorrow.
Pre-season testing: Buriram: Day 1
| Pos | Num | Rider | Nat | Team | Bike | Time | Gap 1st/prev |
| 1 | 35 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | GBR | LCR Honda CASTROL | Honda | 1:30.797 | |
| 2 | 42 | Alex RINS | ESP | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | 1:30.809 | 0.012/0.012 |
| 3 | 93 | Marc MARQUEZ | ESP | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 1:30.912 | 0.115/0.103 |
| 4 | 04 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 1:30.945 | 0.148/0.033 |
| 5 | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | ESP | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 1:30.960 | 0.163/0.015 |
| 6 | 9 | Danilo PETRUCCI | ITA | Alma Pramac Racing | Ducati | 1:31.003 | 0.206/0.043 |
| 7 | 43 | Jack MILLER | AUS | Alma Pramac Racing | Ducati | 1:31.044 | 0.247/0.041 |
| 8 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 1:31.189 | 0.392/0.145 |
| 9 | 29 | Andrea IANNONE | ITA | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | 1:31.235 | 0.438/0.046 |
| 10 | 99 | Jorge LORENZO | ESP | Ducati Team | Ducati | 1:31.246 | 0.449/0.011 |
| 11 | 25 | Maverick VIÑALES | ESP | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 1:31.294 | 0.497/0.048 |
| 12 | 5 | Johann ZARCO | FRA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 1:31.305 | 0.508/0.011 |
| 13 | 53 | Tito RABAT | ESP | Reale Avintia Racing | Ducati | 1:31.523 | 0.726/0.218 |
| 14 | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | ESP | Angel Nieto Team | Ducati | 1:31.525 | 0.728/0.002 |
| 15 | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARO | ESP | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 1:31.662 | 0.865/0.137 |
| 16 | 45 | Scott REDDING | GBR | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 1:31.685 | 0.888/0.023 |
| 17 | 30 | Takaaki NAKAGAMI | JPN | LCR Honda IDEMITSU | Honda | 1:31.692 | 0.895/0.007 |
| 18 | 17 | Karel ABRAHAM | CZE | Angel Nieto Team | Ducati | 1:31.698 | 0.901/0.006 |
| 19 | 21 | Franco MORBIDELLI | ITA | EG 0,0 Marc VDS | Honda | 1:31.729 | 0.932/0.031 |
| 20 | 38 | Bradley SMITH | GBR | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 1:31.741 | 0.944/0.012 |
| 21 | 12 | Tom LUTHI | SWI | EG 0,0 Marc VDS | Honda | 1:32.716 | 1.919/0.975 |
| 22 | 10 | Xavier SIMEON | BEL | Reale Avintia Racing | Ducati | 1:32.720 | 1.923/0.004 |
| 23 | 36 | Mika KALLIO | FIN | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 1:32.749 | 1.952/0.029 |
| 24 | 55 | Hafizh SYAHRIN | MAL | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 1:33.165 | 2.368/0.416 |
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