Dovizioso tops Mugello FP1

The sun was shining down on the Mugello Circuit as the riders headed out for the first practice session of the weekend ahead of the 2015 Italian Grand Prix on Sunday. Ducati have been yearning for their first win since the 2010 Australian Grand Prix from the day the GP15 was unveiled back in February. Of all the places to do it, Mugello, their home race, would do nicely. Andrea Dovizioso didn't muck about in FP1, focusing his attention on the medium rear tyre – his hardest option and the one most likely to be raced on by everyone come Sunday. The went top early in the session, and consolidated that later on with a 1:47.893. Andrea Iannone gritted his teeth to go 3rd quickest with a 1:47.940. The Italian discovered he had a hairline fracture on his shoulder post-Le Mans and will be hurting this weekend. Yonny Hernandez made it three Ducatis in the top five after he utilised the tow of the Yamaha of Valentino Rossi late in the session. Rossi is gunning for his first win at Mugello since taking his seventh consecutive victory at the circuit in 2008, and got off to a decent start in 6th. He know qualifying needs to improve; he qualified 11th last year here and that robbed him of a chance of fighting for victory as he'd pushed his tyres too hard fighting through to 3rd. A second row start come Saturday will do him nicely I suspect. Movistar team-mate Jorge Lorenzo wasted no time in getting out on track first as the light at the end of the pit-lane went green. Yamaha have to put in as many laps as possible is practice to nail their set-up for qualifying, and more importantly the race if they are to have any hope of beating Ducati. The Spaniard looked quick in FP1. He ended up 2nd quickest with a 1:47.926 and clung on onto the GP15s through each split. Marc Marquez did back-to-back comparisons with the new and old swingarms as he searches for rear stability. He was 4th fastest at the drop of the flag, but not looking 100% settled. Dani Pedrosa continues to build his strength as comes into his second race weekend following arm pump surgery. The Spaniard was a respectable 11th in FP1. Bradley Smith was fastest through sector two on his Tech 3 Yamaha YZR-M1 and 8th overall, with team-mate Pol Espargaro 9th, and compatriots Cal Crutchlow and Scott Redding 10th and 7threspectively. Aleix Espargaro was in a considerable amount of pain as he tries to return to full fitness following surgery on his thumb injured in that horrible high-side at turn five at Le Mans. The Suzuki rider encountered some mechanical issues on his GSX-RR right at the start of the session. He got back out on track on his second bike, but could only manage 17th fastest. His participation in the following sessions looks in doubt. FP1 Top 10: 1st Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team, 1:47.893 2nd Jorge Lorenzo, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, 1:47.926 3rd Andrea Iannone, Ducati Team, 1:47.940 4th Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team, 1:48.088 5th Yonny Hernandez, Pramac Racing Ducati, 1:48.304 6th Valentino Rossi, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, 1:48.325 7th Scott Redding, Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Honda, 1:48.340 8th Bradley Smith, Monster Yamaha Tech 3, 1:48.349 9th Pol Espargaro, Monster Yamaha Tech 3, 1:48.390 10th Cal Crutchlow, CWM LCR Honda, 1:48.459

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