The first ever practice session for the premier class riders at the new Termas de Rio Hondo track saw Jorge Lorenzo lead the way with a late hot lap, with Aleix Espargaro and Alvaro Bautista also in the top three.
As the Gran Premio Red Bull de la Republica Argentina weekend got underway Lorenzo set down a 1’42.804 marker in the final minutes of FP1 with his compatriots Espargaro (NGM Forward Racing) and Baustista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini) respectively 0.481s and 0.833s behind him.
Also in the top five were sophomore pair Andrea Iannone (Pramac Racing) and Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3) both around a second off P1 pace.
The top ten was completed by Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech3), Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda MotoGP), Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Nicky Hayden (Drive M7 Aspar) and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), with Rossi 1.698s behind his pace setting teammate.
The lap times this early in the weekend do not mean too much but Repsol Honda Team pair Marc Marquez (+2.299s) and Dani Pedrosa (+2.920s) will both look to improve after finishing 14th and 16th respectively.
Michael Laverty (Paul Bird Motorsport) was the only crasher in the session, walking away unhurt from a turn 5 fall.
