MotoGP Argentina: Pedrosa usurps Crutchlow to top first practice
Honda rider Dani Pedrosa topped first practice ahead of the second race of the 2018 MotoGP season, which is taking place at Argentina's Termas de Rio Hondo circuit this weekend

Pedrosa shot up to the top of the timing screens in the final seconds of the 45-minute session to lead a Honda 1-2 with LCR rider Cal Crutchlow in second by just 0.042s.
Pedrosa's team-mate Marc Marquez, who has been on pole for every MotoGP race held at the Argentine venue so far, initially led the way in FP1.
But the reigning champion was shuffled down to fourth at the conclusion of the opening runs, trailing Pramac Ducati's Jack Miller, Crutchlow and Tech3 Yamaha rookie Hafizh Syahrin.
Marquez restored himself to the top spot at the halfway point, first logging a 1m41.331s before posing gradual improvements of 1m41.081s and then a 1m40.951s.
As the session approached the final 10 minutes, Crutchlow overhauled Marquez by a tenth, but was immediately surpassed by Suzuki's Andrea Iannone, who had followed the Briton on his flying lap and helped himself to a 1m40.422s.
But a late improvement by Iannone was not enough to prevent him from being passed by Pedrosa and Crutchlow - and while he was up on their laptimes for most of his final effort at the chequered flag, he had to settle for third.

Tech3's Johann Zarco led the Yamaha contingent in fourth, ahead of Miller - the highest-placed Ducati rider, and Marquez. Yamaha's Valentino Rossi was seventh, ahead of Ducati's championship leader Andrea Dovizioso and his works team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.
Pramac's Danilo Petrucci completed the top 10 despite being the only rider to crash in the first session at the newly-surfaced track.
Petrucci took a tumble at the hairpin-like Turn 13 that had nearly caught out Marquez earlier on.
Maverick Vinales was only 13th in the second works Yamaha, as he was beaten by Syahrin and Aleix Espargaro - while the second works Suzuki rider Alex Rins was a low-key 21st.
FP1 results
Pos | Rider | Team | Bike | Gap | Laps |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dani Pedrosa | Honda | Honda | 1m40.303s | 18 |
2 | Cal Crutchlow | LCR Honda | Honda | 0.042s | 18 |
3 | Andrea Iannone | Suzuki | Suzuki | 0.083s | 18 |
4 | Johann Zarco | Tech3 Yamaha | Yamaha | 0.311s | 20 |
5 | Jack Miller | Pramac Ducati | Ducati | 0.412s | 18 |
6 | Marc Marquez | Honda | Honda | 0.478s | 19 |
7 | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha | Yamaha | 0.522s | 19 |
8 | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati | Ducati | 0.635s | 17 |
9 | Jorge Lorenzo | Ducati | Ducati | 0.716s | 17 |
10 | Danilo Petrucci | Pramac Ducati | Ducati | 0.763s | 15 |
11 | Hafizh Syahrin | Tech3 Yamaha | Yamaha | 0.791s | 17 |
12 | Aleix Espargaro | Aprilia | Aprilia | 0.860s | 20 |
13 | Maverick Vinales | Yamaha | Yamaha | 0.921s | 20 |
14 | Bradley Smith | KTM | KTM | 0.983s | 18 |
15 | Scott Redding | Aprilia | Aprilia | 1.043s | 15 |
16 | Pol Espargaro | KTM | KTM | 1.052s | 18 |
17 | Tito Rabat | Avintia Ducati | Ducati | 1.118s | 22 |
18 | Takaaki Nakagami | LCR Honda | Honda | 1.146s | 20 |
19 | Franco Morbidelli | MVDS Honda | Honda | 1.235s | 19 |
20 | Alvaro Bautista | Aspar Ducati | Ducati | 1.321s | 19 |
21 | Alex Rins | Suzuki | Suzuki | 1.499s | 20 |
22 | Xavier Simeon | Avintia Ducati | Ducati | 1.889s | 17 |
23 | Thomas Luthi | MVDS Honda | Honda | 2.395s | 19 |
24 | Karel Abraham | Aspar Ducati | Ducati | 2.554s | 17 |

Ducati 'pretty confident' over Dovizioso deal, no Lorenzo talks yet
Jorge Lorenzo says Andrea Dovizioso tries to undermine him in MotoGP

Latest news
Why Honda and Yamaha have been left behind in MotoGP's new era
The once all-conquering Japanese manufacturers are going through a difficult period in MotoGP this season. With Suzuki quitting, Honda struggling to get near the podium and Yamaha only enjoying success courtesy of Fabio Quartararo, Japanese manufacturers have been left in the dust by their European counterparts. Key paddock figures explain why.
Who is Valentino Rossi’s newest MotoGP star?
Valentino Rossi’s protégés stole the show at Assen as Francesco Bagnaia stormed to victory to arrest a recent barren run. But it was the rider in second, on Bagnaia’s old bike, who had all eyes on him. Securing his and the VR46 team’s first MotoGP podium, Marco Bezzecchi has all the characteristics that made his mentor special
How Quartararo is evoking an absent MotoGP great in 2022
OPINION: Fabio Quartararo has seized control of the 2022 MotoGP world standings after another dominant victory as his nearest rivals faltered. And he is very much heading towards a second championship echoing how the dominator of the last decade achieved much of his success
The human importance of Marquez’s latest enforced MotoGP absence
OPINION: Marc Marquez will likely sit out the remainder of the 2022 MotoGP season to undergo a fourth major operation on the right arm he badly broke in 2020. It is hoped it will return him to his brilliant best after a tough start to the season without a podium to his name. But it’s the human victory that will far outweigh any future on-track success he may go on to have
Why Ducati holds all the power in its MotoGP rider dilemma
OPINION: The French Grand Prix looks to have made Ducati’s decision on its factory team line-up simpler, as Enea Bastianini stormed to his third win of the campaign and Jorge Martin crashed out for a fifth time in 2022. But, as Ducati suggests to Autosport, it remains in the strongest position in a wild rider market
The seismic aftershock left by Suzuki's decision to leave MotoGP
Suzuki's sudden decision to leave the MotoGP World Championship at the end of the season has acted as a stirring element in a market that had already erupted. Autosport analyses what this means for the grid going into 2023
How the real Ducati began to emerge in MotoGP’s Spanish GP
Ducati’s 2022 MotoGP bike has had a tough start to life and the expected early-season title charge from Francesco Bagnaia did not materialise. But the Spanish Grand Prix signalled a turning point for both the GP22 and Bagnaia, as the 2021 runner-up belatedly got his season underway after a straight fight with Fabio Quartararo
How Honda's praise for its 2022 MotoGP bike has turned into doubt
In a little over two months, Honda has gone from setting the pace in MotoGP testing with its new RC213V prototype to being at a crossroads - caused by the discrepancy in its riders' feedback. After a Portuguese GP that underwhelmed, serious questions are now being asked of Honda in 2022