Defending world champion Marc Marquez showed few signs of distraction from his off-track battle with Valentino Rossi as he registered a fastest time of 1min 31.250sec in Friday’s first practice session for the Valencia Grand Prix.
Marquez admitted on Thursday it had been impossible to prepare for the final race of the season as normal after he was kicked off his bike by championship leader Rossi at the Malaysian Grand Prix two weeks ago.
Rossi will start from the back of the grid in Valencia as punishment for that act after his appeal against the sanction to the Court of Arbitration for Sport failed on Thursday.
Spain’s Jorge Lorenzo is the only man that can deny Rossi a 10th world title in all categories as he lies just seven points adrift of his Yamaha teammate.
Lorenzo was second fastest, 0.184sec behind Marquez, whilst Rossi was nearly half a second back down in fifth.