Marquez leads first Phillip Island practice

Marquez wasted little time getting down to business when the session kicked off, the points leader consistently the first to dip into the 1m31s, the 1m30s, and then the 1m29s bracket.

By the 10-minute mark Marquez was quickest with a 1m29.722s, going quicker again five minutes later with a 1m29.699s.

Right before the 20-minute mark he lowered the benchmark to 1m29.602s on mediums front and rear, that time good enough to hold off a number of soft-tyre runs at the end of the session and leave Marquez's Honda on top.

Tech3 Yamaha rider Johann Zarco wound up best of those to have tried out the soft tyres in the closing stages of the 45-minute session, jumping into second right on the flag with a 1m29.695s.

That knocked hometown hero Jack Miller, who had gone second quickest moments before, down to third on the Marc VDS Honda.

Andrea Dovizioso was fourth quickest, after making a mistake on what looked to be a session-topping soft tyre run right at the end of the session.

The title contender was quickest through the first sector on his penultimate lap, only to run wide at Turn 4 and ruin any chance of knocking Marquez off top spot.

Maverick Vinales completed the top five, while Andrea Iannone was sixth quickest on the Suzuka, one spot clear of Pol Espargaro on the KTM.

Jorge Lorenzo was eighth, first of the riders not to break into the 1m29s.

Bradley Smith, who was first of the riders to try out the soft rear tyre, and Cal Crutchlow rounded out the top 10.

Valentino Rossi languished outside the top 10 all session and managed just 13th, the best part of a second off the pace.