Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez completed day one at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana as the fastest man in some tough and wet conditions, topping Australian Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing).

Thanks to his FP1 time of 1m39.767s, the Spaniard headed Alma Pramac Racing’s Jack Miller and Danilo Petrucci and the top three were split by just 0.140s on Friday.

Just like FP1, the FP2 session was red-flagged in the early stages due to unsafe track conditions. This came after debris was left on circuit after Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) crashed at the tricky turn 12, but the Frenchman was okay and returned to the pits.

A short delay followed before the riders headed back out, but with the rain heavier than it was in FP1, none of the riders were able to improve on their morning times and the top 10 were decided for the day.

This left Marquez ending Friday as the quickest rider and Miller P2, despite finishing 13th in FP2. Petrucci topped FP2 by a significant margin as 0.407s was the gap back to the number 93, with Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) the only other rider within a second of the Ducati rider in the second session.

It was 12th overall for ‘The Doctor’ however. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) sits fourth overall and the Italian was P12 in FP2, with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) completing the top five despite conditions that have often been more difficult for the newly-inducted Legend this season.

Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) ends P6 on the combined times, with Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) ending the day as the fastest Yamaha rider in seventh overall. Wildcard and Ducati Team test rider Michele Pirro sits P8 overall thanks to his FP1 time.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro grabs a provisional Q2 spot by ending Friday in ninth, along with teammate Bradley Smith’s eighth caps off a good day for the Austrian manufacturer in the wet conditions. Alex Rins (Team Ecstar Suzuki) rounded out the top 10.

In Moto2, Iker Lecuona (Swiss Innovative Investors) impressed in tough, wet conditions after his FP1 time saw him end day one at the summit of the Moto2 combined standings. Lecuona’s 1m46.705s in the morning was enough to see him better Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Remy Gardner (Tech3 Racing) was P24.

Rookie Alonso Lopez (Estrella Galicia 0,0) went fastest on his final flying lap in FP2 to end Friday on top in Moto3, his 1m51.873s enough to oust Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PruestelGP) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) took third.

Detailed results

Three-time world champion Dani Pedrosa has been named a MotoGP Legend ahead of hanging up his leathers at the end of 2018, with the Spaniard inducted into the MotoGP Legends Hall of Fame at the season finale at Valencia.

Pedrosa won the 125 championship in 2003 and the 250 title in 2004 and 2005, and is one of the most successful riders of all time in the premier category.

After taking the third most podiums of all time behind only Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) and Giacomo Agostini, Pedrosa retires at the end of 2018 with 54 premier MotoGP class victories to his credit.

“First of all thank you to Carmelo and thank you for the nice words,” said Pedrosa.” Obviously it’s a very emotional moment you never expect it to arrive when you’re a kid, and now to be here is a bit strange but I’ happy because I felt a lot of support from all the fans, a lot from all the paddock.

“I’m really, really happy about this moment to see my rivals of a lifetime here. I feel that MotoGP gave me a lot of things in my life because basically I’ve always been here and I learned a lot in life thanks to MotoGP. In the same way I’m very happy that I could give something else to the sport like Carmelo was explaining.

“When I started it was a new generation winning races and championships, not only me but everyone here on the front row. This is good for me because it’s a nice feeling that we opened a door for a new generation. Luckily I don’t know all my numbers which is a good thing!”

Asked about a standout moment, the Spaniard added: “Obviously the moment that stands out for me is the first championship because you achieve something you dreamed of. You know you can get a podium or win a race but to get a championship it’s something that, as a kid, you see these guys going so fast and you don’t believe it.

“So when you achieve it all the emotions come out, and not only that year but for life because you’re been dreaming of it since you were born – watching races on TV and wanting to be that guy. So that day is unique and that’s what makes you, it’s the drive that makes you want more and want to keep going and get through the tough times – and the reaction from the people and the love you get is something I could never imagine so for me that’s the most beautiful.”

Pedrosa joins a long list of greats that have been made MotoGP Legends that includes Giacomo Agostini, Mick Doohan, Geoff Duke, Wayne Gardner, Mike Hailwood, Daijiro Kato, Eddie Lawson, Anton Mang, Angel Nieto, Wayne Rainey, Phil Read, Jim Redman, Kenny Roberts, Jarno Saarinen, Kevin Schwantz, Barry Sheene, Marco Simoncelli, Freddie Spencer, Casey Stoner, John Surtees, Carlo Ubbiali, Alex Crivillé, Franco Uncini, Marco Lucchinelli, Randy Mamola, Kork Ballington and the late Nicky Hayden.

The number 26 is set to take on a development role with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing next year, while his position at Repsol Honda will be fulfilled by multi-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo.