Aragon MotoGP: Iannone tops first practice with revised Ducati

A late 1m48.995s from the Pramac rider deposed championship leader Marc Marquez from the top spot in the closing minutes.

Ducati has supplied two of its GP14.2 'evolution' bikes for this weekend's grand prix, with 2015 factory rider Iannone getting one and current works man Andrea Dovizioso the other.

Marquez ended up pushed back to third, as Forward Yamaha rider Aleix Espargaro burst up from 11th to second using the softer tyre after the flag had fallen.

Until Iannone and Espargaro's late improvements, Marquez was in a class of his own up front, holding an eight tenths of a second advantage for a while.

Jorge Lorenzo closed that gap down to a couple of tenths, finishing the session fourth, his Yamaha sandwiched between the Hondas of Marquez and Dani Pedrosa.

Misano winner Valentino Rossi was sixth, ahead of Dovizioso and early pacesetter Pol Espargaro.

The Avintia team has got a single Ducati for Hector Barbera this weekend, ahead of its full switch to the Italian bikes in 2015.

The revitalised Barbera spent much of the session in the top 10, but then had to dump the bike in the gravel trap in a hurry when it burst into flames. He appeared to escape injury, though whether the Ducati will be fit for use in the afternoon session remains to be seen.

Nicky Hayden began his return to MotoGP after his post-surgery lay-off with 19th place for Aspar.