Marquez tops incident-packed opening practice for Australian MotoGP

At the Australian MotoGP's opening practice session, Spanish Ducati rider Marc Marquez emerged as the fastest with a last-lap time of 1min 27.985sec on the Phillip Island circuit, according to wire material. Marquez, the world champion, edged out his closest competitors, Aprilia RS-GP rider Raul Fernandez and Jack Miller. Fernandez, who won the Australian Grand Prix last year, skidded off at Turn 7 and sustained a nasty tumble across the gravel midway through the session.

Iker Lecuona, filling in for injured Ducati-Gresini rider Fermin Aldeguer, also crashed at the same corner, bouncing off a tyre wall but walked away unharmed. Miller, a home hero, crashed at Turn 2 just seconds after setting the fastest time, but remained conscious and gave a thumbs up. Brad Binder faced a major engine failure on the main straight, leaving the track with white smoke.

The incident-packed practice session took place in warm but windy conditions, marking the final MotoGP event to be hosted at Phillip Island before it moves to a street circuit in Adelaide next year.