Lorenzo tops opening day at Indy

Jorge Lorenzo set the pace in Indianapolis today with the Spaniard outpacing Marc Marquez on the opening day.

“It was very good, very positive,” said Lorenzo after the session. “I’m very happy with the start of the first day of the weekend, because normally it’s very important after a long holiday without riding, it’s very important to feel again fast and comfortable on the bike, and this is the way I feel today.”

Lorenzo was only three thousands of a second faster than Marquez and afterwards the reigning world champion admitted that he couldn’t look past Lorenzo as the competition to him claiming yet another victory on US soil.

“At the moment it’s Lorenzo [as my biggest rival],” said Marquez. “It looks like Jorge has a good pace, we are very close. But looks like he is very strong. Already last year he was the strongest one, so we will try to improve, to try to be ready for a great battle, but it’s too early to say.”

Cal Crutchlow was fifth fastest but came away pleased despite having to use a fresh rear tyre at the end of the session whereas Marquez and Lorenzo did not. Crutchlow commented that he was “looking forward to tomorrow because I was getting used to riding again and we didn’t make any major changes today. Tomorrow will be a bit closer and a bit harder so we’ll change some things tonight for tomorrow.”

Valentino Rossi struggled with a lack of front end feel and could only finish tenth fastest with Bradley Smith and Scott Redding faster than him and inside the top ten.