Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) began the Japanese GP as he will want to continue it, supreme in the rain and topping the timesheets by almost nine tenths. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was the man who got closest to the reigning Champion, with Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing) third.
The highest profile incident in the session saw Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) sideswiped out of Turn 9 by a crash from Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), but the five-time World Champion walked away and ended the session P4 – just ahead of teammate Andrea Dovizioso.
BIG crash for @lorenzo99 & @calcrutchlow!????
— MotoGP™???????????? (@MotoGP) 13 octobre 2017
Fortunately both OK & errmm... discussing what happened in the gravel #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/idNM5QyOu4
Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Crutchlow, Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), title challenger Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completed the top ten.
Major issue for @Petrux9 down at turn one! He's ditched the bike and running back to the pits for the spare...????#JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/A7Pb33WXVa
— MotoGP™???????????? (@MotoGP) 13 octobre 2017
Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) both had a tough FP1, outside the top fifteen. For full results, click here!