Pramac Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci topped the times on a interrupted opening day of the MotoGP test at Phillip Island.
The Italian clocked his session best in the final two hours of the hit-out during a brief dry period at the Victorian circuit as intermittent showers disrupted teams’ plans for much of the day.
Instead the paddock spent the day learning how the new-for-2016 Michelin tyres and electronics react in the damp conditions.
Equipped with slicks, Petrucci’s best of 1:31.764s proved to be 0.7s quicker than the factory Suzuki of Maverick Vinales, while Tech 3 Yamaha’s Bradley Smith was third fastest just 0.1s further back.
Britain’s Scott Redding also made the most of the limited dry window to post the fourth fastest time on the sister Pramac Ducati machine.
LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow was fifth quickest ahead of the first of last year’s championship contenders Valentino Rossi, who was more than second adrift of the pace.
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Rossi tested his 2016 machine with a new fuel tank, while his Yamaha team-mate and reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo ended the day in 16th, having completed just 22 laps in the wet conditions.
The inclement weather reduced Jack Miller’s running to just six laps on his return to action after sustaining a broken right leg in a training accident.
The Marc VDS Honda rider from Townsville recorded a time good enough for ninth position.
Aboard 2016 evolution machines, the factory Honda riders of Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa were 12th and 17th respectively.
Meanwhile, Andrea Iannone emerged as the top Ducati rider in 10th spot, while Andrea Dovizioso failed to record a timed lap.
Testing will continue at Phillip Island tomorrow.
| Position | Rider | Team | Fastest lap | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PETRUCCI, Danilo | Octo Pramac Yakhnich | 1:31.764 | 11 / 12 | |
| 2 | VIÑALES, Maverick | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | 1:32.483 | 0.719 | 20 / 20 |
| 3 | SMITH, Bradley | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | 1:32.590 | 0.826 | 27 / 27 |
| 4 | REDDING, Scott | Octo Pramac Yakhnich | 1:32.864 | 1.100 | 33 / 41 |
| 5 | CRUTCHLOW, Cal | LCR Honda | 1:32.948 | 1.184 | 21 / 21 |
| 6 | ROSSI, Valentino | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | 1:33.088 | 1.324 | 26 / 27 |
| 7 | ESPARGARO, Pol | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | 1:33.126 | 1.362 | 20 / 20 |
| 8 | HERNANDEZ, Yonny | Aspar MotoGP Team | 1:33.841 | 2.077 | 6 / 6 |
| 9 | MILLER, Jack | Marc VDS Racing Team | 1:33.992 | 2.228 | 6 / 6 |
| 10 | IANNONE, Andrea | Ducati Team | 1:34.049 | 2.285 | 7 / 9 |
| 11 | RABAT, Tito | EG 0.0 Marc VDS | 1:35.273 | 3.509 | 28 / 29 |
| 12 | MARQUEZ, Marc | Repsol Honda Team | 1:35.354 | 3.590 | 18 / 20 |
| 13 | ESPARGARO, Aleix | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | 1:35.584 | 3.820 | 2 / 2 |
| 14 | LAVERTY, Eugene | Aspar MotoGP Team | 1:35.679 | 3.915 | 5 / 10 |
| 15 | TSUDA, Takuya | Suzuki Test Team | 1:36.166 | 4.402 | 6 / 6 |
| 16 | LORENZO, Jorge | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | 1:39.825 | 8.061 | 14 / 24 |
| 17 | PEDROSA, Dani | Repsol Honda Team | 1:40.138 | 8.374 | 15 / 15 |
| 18 | DOVIZIOSO, Andrea | Ducati Team |
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