Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) went quickest in first practice at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, as the rainy conditions from Moto3™ FP1 continued – and then deteriorated. Crutchlow took the top spot before the rain got harder, and remained P1 ahead of Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Yakhnich).
Home hero Jack Miller was spectacular through the final corner as his Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS machine moved him up into P4, with the Assen winner slotting in ahead of Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) as the new champion of the world got back on track. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Pol Espargaro were sixth, seventh and eighth, with Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) ending the session in P9.
Dani Pedrosa’s replacement Nicky Hayden rode the Repsol Honda machine for the first time since 2008 in FP1, with the 2006 MotoGP™ World Champion completing the top ten.