MotoGP Indianapolis, Free Practice 1: Valentino Rossi at the top, Iannone well, third with the Ducati

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was the scene of the return of the MotoGP class after the summer break, a MotoGP which from a 2015 perspective brought both confirmations and innovations. Confirmations for the Honda and Yamaha Factory riders (yesterday also saw the renewal of Jorge Lorenzo, after those of Marquez, Pedrosa and Rossi) and news for Cal Crutchlow who will go to Honda LCR, Andrea Iannone promoted to Ducati Factory and Stefan Bradl who he will be a Forward Racing driver.

As for FP1, the drivers returned to the track on a modified track in some corners (3, 4, 7, 15 and 16) which are now "longer" in distance and with finally homogeneous asphalt in the Infield section. Unlike the Moto3 class, the Top Class riders took to the track in FP1 on slicks right from the start of the session.

Although it is difficult to make comparisons, given that the track is one meter longer than last year, the times were immediately faster, with Marquez immediately below the track record. In the end, however, the best time went to Valentino Rossi, who at the end of the session stopped the clock at a time of 1:34.535, a time 34 thousandths better than that set by the British Bradley Smith, riding the Team Tech Yamaha. 3.

Excellent performance by Andrea Iannone, third at just 44 thousandths with the Ducati of Team Pramac. The rider from Vasto is ahead of Aleix Espargarò, Marc Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo. Good performance by Scott Redding, seventh, while Andrea Dovizioso is ninth and ahead of Yonny Hernandez.

The Spaniards Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) was in difficulty in sixteenth place and his compatriot and teammate Alvaro Bautista (Gresini Racing) was in seventeenth place. Twentieth fastest time for Danilo Petrucci from Terni, riding the Iodaracing ART, while Leon Camiee, replacing the injured Nicky Hayden riding the Team Aspar Honda, finished in last place at 5.427.