The opening moments of free practice one at TT Circuit Assen did not go as planned for Monster Energy Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi, as he came straight back to the pit-lane after his opening out-lap, seemingly pointing at his dashboard.
LCR Honda’s Taka Nakagami was the first rider of the weekend to fall off, as he took at tumble at turn eight, rider is OK with the screens showing him running to get back to the pits.
15 minutes into the session it was the championship leader Marc Marquez who was top of time sheets with a 1:34.522, ahead of Cal Crutchlow and Maverick Vinales.
Ducati Team’s Danilo Petrucci had a big crash through the fast left of Hoge Heide, the rear wheel look as though it locked high siding Petrucci, rider is OK climbing aboard a moped and heading back to the pits, although a leather change was needed as his leathers was left with a hole in the front of the leathers.
Valentino Rossi finally made an appearance in FP1 with just over half of the session left, having lost a lot of time in the pits it showed initially as he was +3.988 off of top spot and Monster Energy Yamaha team-mate Maverick Vinales, who had set a time of 1:34.412.
Gresini Aprillia rider Aleix Espargaro who is recovering from a fractured left femur, fell off in the left hander at turn 5, at first he seemed to be in some discomfort with his leg, however he did walk off which is of course a good sign.
Repsol Honda ride Jorge Lorenzo was sporting a new aero-dynamic fairing and updated knee support on his tank, in a bid to help improve the Spaniards feeling on his RCV213V, suffered a high-speed accident into turn 7 the fast left just after the back straight tumbling several times through the gravel, although he was walking away he looked dazed having potentially taken a bang to his head, having to get an ambulance to the medical center.
Fabio Quatararo put his SRT Petronas Yamaha top with half a minute to go with a 1:33.909, claiming bragging rights of being top Yamaha rider yet again, right on Quatararo’s heels was Maverick Vinales, followed by Danilo Petrucci, Ecstar Suzuki’s Alex Rins and rounding out the top five was Taka Nakagami.
An update on Jorge Lorenzo’s condition is yet to be announced.
