Phillip Island MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo leads practice before crash

An early 1m29.602s from the Yamaha proved to be the best anyone could manage all afternoon.

That was just as well for Lorenzo as he fell at the Turn 4 hairpin in the final five minutes and could not rejoin. He was trying Bridgestone's new asymmetric front tyre at the time.

The session featured five crashes, all at the circuit's two hairpins.

Pol Espargaro and Hiroshi Aoyama fell at the same place as Lorenzo, while Ducati men Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone both went down at Turn 10.

Iannone remained third despite his fall, which came just after Lorenzo's, while Dovizioso was able to rejoin and eventually moved up to fourth.

That meant the Ducatis were sandwiched between world champion Marc Marquez's second-placed Honda and Valentino Rossi's Yamaha in fifth.

Morning pacesetter Aleix Espargaro ended up sixth, while Cal Crutchlow showed well again in seventh place.

Dani Pedrosa had a muted day, following up his practice one ninth place with 10th in the afternoon.