Dani Pedrosa dominates first practice for the Czech Moto GP

The Spaniard, refreshed from the mini-summer break having suffered a sequence of injury issues, moved to the top of the times halfway through the 45-minute session.

The Honda rider then emphasised his pace with a sub-lap record 1m56.328s lap on his penultimate lap.

Championship leader Casey Stoner was second quickest - 0.966s behind his team-mate.

Marco Simoncelli was third quickest on the Gresini-run factory Honda, having set the pace early in the session. But his programme was not without drama as he lost the front on the left-hander before the pits and fell. Neither rider nor bike was particularly damaged in the crash.

World champion Jorge Lorenzo, sporting a Top Gun 'Maverick' crash helmet, was fourth fastest on the Yamaha, ahead of Andrea Dovizioso on the final of the factory Hondas

Ben Spies was sixth fastest on the second Yamaha, ahead of an impressive Jon Hopkins on the wildcard Suzuki. The American, on his second outing for the factory squad this season just outpaced team regular Alvaro Bautista, though both were two seconds off Pedrosa's pace.

Cal Crutchlow, on a circuit he knows, was ninth fastest on the Tech 3 Yamaha, just ahead of team-mate Colin Edwards.

Factory Ducati riders Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden were 11th and 14th.

Pos  Rider             Team/Bike       Time       Gap
 1.  Dani Pedrosa      Honda           1m56.328s
 2.  Casey Stoner      Honda           1m57.294s  + 0.966s
 3.  Marco Simoncelli  Gresini Honda   1m57.408s  + 1.080s
 4.  Jorge Lorenzo     Yamaha          1m57.587s  + 1.259s
 5.  Andrea Dovizioso  Honda           1m57.776s  + 1.448s
 6.  Ben Spies         Yamaha          1m57.903s  + 1.575s
 7.  Jon Hopkins       Suzuki          1m58.321s  + 1.993s
 8.  Alvaro Bautista   Suzuki          1m58.345s  + 2.017s
 9.  Cal Crutchlow     Tech 3 Yamaha   1m58.390s  + 2.062s
10.  Colin Edwards     Tech 3 Yamaha   1m58.497s  + 2.169s
11.  Valentino Rossi   Ducati          1m58.819s  + 2.491s
12.  Randy de Puniet   Pramac Ducati   1m58.927s  + 2.599s
13.  Hector Barbera    Aspar Ducati    1m58.973s  + 2.645s
14.  Nicky Hayden      Ducati          1m58.975s  + 2.647s
15.  Hiroshi Aoyama    Gresini Honda   1m59.289s  + 2.961s
16.  Karel Abraham     Cardion Ducati  1m59.334s  + 3.006s
17.  Loris Capirossi   Pramac Ducati   1m59.706s  + 3.378s
18.  Toni Elias        LCR Honda       2m00.201s  + 3.973s