Laguna Seca welcomes the MotoGP paddock to American soil today, where Casey Stoner sets the fastest time in the practice sessions – as Ducati continues their mid-season positive progress.
The Ducati Team rider was over two-tenths of a second faster than Jorge Lorenzo, as he got within 0.021s of the Spaniard’s 2009 pole position time in the opening practice session at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix.
Lorenzo looked on good form to finish the opening session in second and his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi made a solid start for sixth position. The Fiat Yamaha M1s are running in a special livery here to celebrate the forthcoming launch of the Fiat 500 car in the United States, which features the faces of 500 fans on both bikes and the riders’ leathers.
After his sensational return from injury in Germany, Rossi found he was in a little bit more pain at this track, especially in the braking area before the infamous Corkscrew. Aside from his physical worries the World Champion was happy with his first day’s work and is confident that the information he and his team gathered today will help them to climb the order tomorrow.
Today’s one-and-only practice session was conducted in a very pleasant conditions with air temperatures at 24ºC. MotoGP has one more practice session tomorrow morning, followed by qualifying on Saturday afternoon.
Combined Free Practice Times :
1. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati Marlboro Team 1’21.699
2. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team 1’21.932
3. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Repsol Honda Team 1’22.225
4. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 1’22.559
5. Ben Spies (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1’22.640
6. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Fiat Yamaha Team 1’22.660
7. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Marlboro Team 1’22.902
8. Colin Edwards (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1’22.971
9. Marco Melandri (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1’23.021
10. Aleix Espargaro (SPA) Pramac Green Team 1’23.693
11. Mika Kallio (FIN) Pramac Green Team 1’23.825
12. Marco Simoncelli (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1’24.002
13. Hector Barbera (SPA) Aspar Team 1’24.326
14. Alex de Angelis (ITA) Interwetten Honda MotoGP 1’24.615
15. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1’24.710
16. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1’25.031
Sunday’s 32-lap race gets underway at 14.00hrs local time (21.00hrs GMT).
Photo : Fiat Yamaha / Rizla Suzuki / MotoGP
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