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Espargaro gets up to speed quickest in Argentina MotoGP practice

Factory Suzuki rider Aleix Espargaro lead Ducati pair Andrea Iannone and Andrea Dovizioso in the opening practice session at Termas de Rio Hondo.

Aleix Espargaro, Team Suzuki MotoGP

Aleix Espargaro, Team Suzuki MotoGP

Suzuki MotoGP

Andrea Iannone, Ducati Team
Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaro, Team Suzuki MotoGP
Nicky Hayden, Drive M7 Aspar Honda
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team and Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Factory Racing and Bradley Smith, Yamaha Tech 3
Scott Redding, Marc VDS and Nicky Hayden, Aspar Racing Team

Suzuki's Aleix Espargaro was the rider quickest up to speed in Argentina, the Spaniard setting the fastest lap ahead of Iannone and Dovizioso in the slippery conditions.

Espargaro logged a best lap of 1m 40.806s, with the Ducati riders ending up 0.573 and 0.721s adrift respectively.

Yonny Hernandez was also quickly up to speed, ending the session fourth fastest with a best time of 1m41.785s. The Pramac Ducati rider was followed by Scott Redding on the Marc VDS Honda, and the Open class Aspar machine of Nicky Hayden.

The second Suzuki, in the hands of Maverick Vinales, lies in seventh place on the timing sheets as the Spanish rookie impressed once again. Mike Di Meglio was also rapid aboard the Avintia Ducati in 8th, as was Jack Miller in ninth on the Open class LCR Honda.

With track conditions far from ideal, there were a number of riders left outside the top 10, preferring to wait for more rubber to be laid down - including championship leader Valentino Rossi in 14th and his factory Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo in 20th. Austin winner Marc Marquez ended up 10th.

 Pos   Rider   Bike   Time   Gap   Laps 
Aleix Espargaro Suzuki 1'40.806   16
Andrea Iannone Ducati 1'41.379 0.573 15
Andrea Dovizioso Ducati 1'41.527 0.721 17
Yonny Hernández Ducati 1'41.785 0.979 17
Scott Redding Honda 1'41.884 1.078 15
Nicky Hayden Honda 1'41.932 1.126 15
Maverick Vinales Suzuki 1'42.174 1.368 16
Mike Di Meglio Ducati 1'42.246 1.440 13
Jack Miller Honda 1'42.391 1.585 18
10  Marc Márquez Honda 1'42.605 1.799 14
11  Alvaro Bautista Aprilia 1'42.828 2.022 16
12  Hector Barbera Ducati 1'43.297 2.491 15
13  Alex de Angelis ART/Aprilia 1'43.330 2.524 16
14  Valentino Rossi Yamaha 1'43.373 2.567 15
15  Pol Espargaro Yamaha 1'43.390 2.584 16
16  Cal Crutchlow Honda 1'43.891 3.085 15
17  Danilo Petrucci Ducati 1'44.300 3.494 18
18  Eugene Laverty Honda 1'44.313 3.507 19
19  Marco Melandri Aprilia 1'44.572 3.766 14
20  Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha 1'44.750 3.944 14
21  Karel Abraham Honda 1'45.001 4.195 15
22  Bradley Smith Yamaha 1'45.237 4.431 17
23  Hiroshi Aoyama Honda 1'45.688 4.882 18
24  Stefan Bradl Yamaha Forward/Yamaha 1'45.747 4.941 16
25  Loris Baz Yamaha Forward/Yamaha 1'46.239 5.433 16

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