Dovizioso tops Mugello practice

Dovizioso and Yamaha rider Lorenzo - winner of the last two grands prix - exchanged first place several times during the session and rapidly got within two tenths of the track's lap record.

Ducati briefly looked set for a one-two as Andrea Iannone slotted into second, just 0.047 seconds slower than Dovizioso's 1m47.893s, in the closing moments.

But Lorenzo was still on a better lap and squeezed in between the Ducatis, 0.033s slower than Dovizioso and 0.014s ahead of Iannone.

Ducati had three riders in the top five, although Yonny Hernandez's fifth place owed something to tucking in behind Valentino Rossi for his best lap.

Marc Marquez was the best Honda man in fourth, while Rossi ended up sixth.

Three British riders got into the top 10 - Scott Redding taking an eye-catching seventh on the Marc VDS Honda, Bradley Smith taking eighth for Tech 3 Yamaha and Cal Crutchlow putting the LCR Honda 10th, with Smith's team-mate Pol Espargaro between them.

Espargaro having a trip through the gravel at the San Donato corner was one of the few incidents in a trouble-free session that took place in ideal weather conditions.

Dani Pedrosa was only 11th fastest, while Suzuki struggled - Maverick Vinales its leading rider in 15th.