Bezzecchi and Acosta joint-fastest in Mugello MotoGP opener

Marco Bezzecchi and Pedro Acosta set identical times at the top of the leaderboard in the opening practice session of the MotoGP round at Mugello.

Key moments

• No Ducatis in top three...
• ... but Marquez best on used tyres
• Crash for Fernandez

KTM had looked to be heading for a 1-2 before Bezzecchi's last-gasp lap drew him level with Acosta, with Bezzecchi classified ahead due to having the better second-best lap - which serves as the tiebreaker in MotoGP.

But both, as well as Brad Binder in third, were somewhat flattered by a fresh medium rear in those closing stages, unlike championship leader Marc Marquez.

Marquez had led the way heading into the closing minutes, and was still lapping fast enough for around fourth overall - where he ended up - on 15-lap-old mediums.

VR46 Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio - who unliked Marquez has homologated new Ducati front aero this weekend - moved up to fifth in the final minutes.

Pecco Bagnaia - who also has the new front aero on one of his bikes - felt reinvigorated by a switch to 355mm front brake discs at Aragon but is favouring the 340mm at Mugello due to a lack of braking zone that would keep the brake temperature high.

He'd looked strong at the start of the session, though had some frustrations late on - dipping his tyres into the Borgo San Lorenzo gravel trap, then going wide into San Donato, then wide again into Casanova, much to his growing irritation.

He ended up eighth, behind Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) and Maverick Vinales (Tech3 KTM) and ahead of Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati).

Quartararo had a trip into the gravel at San Donato, as did Acosta, who also went close to the outside wall through the gravel at Bucine after trying to overtake Joan Mir on his final push lap.

The lead Honda was that of Johann Zarco (LCR Honda) in 10th, whereas Mir seemed to really struggle, nearly a second down on the Frenchman - and also behind injury stand-in Takaaki Nakagami - in 20th.

Luca Marini, who is being replaced by Nakagami this weekend and remains out following his crash in Suzuka 8 Hours testing, is in the Mugello paddock and is reportedly eyeing up a competitive return at the Sachsenring.

Trackhouse Aprilia rider Raul Fernandez crashed at the first Arrabbiata early in the session, his bike flipping through the gravel but Fernandez himself unhurt and rejoining practice shortly afterwards.

Team-mate Ai Ogura, who sat out the races at Silverstone and Aragon due to a top-of-right-tibia fracture, made his return here and seemed to be unconstrained by the injury as he finished 15th, four places up on Fernandez.