MotoGP Friday Practice Report
The final round of the 2010 MotoGP Championship got underway on Friday with the first two of three practice sessions for the Valencia Grand Prix.
After being a half-second behind the fastest rider in Free Practice 1, 2010 MotoGP Champion Jorge Lorenzo regained his usual fastest position. The Spaniard posted a 1:32.690 in Free Practice 2, which became the fastest lap on Friday.
Once qualifying begins after Free Practice 3 on Saturday, Lorenzo will be chasing his eight podium of a season; he took victory at the Portugal MotoGP last weekend from the pole.
Jorge Lorenzo says: “Today was a good day. We started strongly from the first moment and I am feeling so confident, plus my bike is working very well here. We need to continue like this tomorrow and make a few small steps forward with our setting.”
“I am so happy to be riding at home again, in front of the Spanish fans here at Cheste as the World Champion. I hope we are strong again tomorrow where I have a very special helmet to show everyone!”
Second fastest out of both sessions combined was Casey Stoner. The Ducati Team GP10 rider was the only one to edge Lorenzo out during FP1. Third fastest out of the combined sessions was Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider Colin Edwards.
Following is a breakdown of both 45-minute Friday free practice sessions.
Valencia MotoGP Friday Free Practice 1:
The first practice on Friday was dominated by Stoner. The Australian posted a 1:32.897, and was the only rider to break the 1:33 mark.
Lorenzo trailed Stoner by 0.558 of a second. Very close to Lorenzo’s time was Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso; the Italian posted 1:33.500, only 0.045 of a second behind Lorenzo.
The rookie Marco Simoncelli was fourth fastest on his San Carlo Honda Greisini, beating out nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi.
Ducati Team rider Nicky Hayden was sixth fastest, followed by Hector Barbera riding for Paginas Amarillas Aspar Ducati satellite team. LCR Honda rider Randy de Puniet was eight fastest.
Although he continues to recovered from dislocating his ankle at last weekend’s sighting lap for Estoril MotoGP, Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider Ben Spies hustled and was able to post the ninth quickest time.
But this didn’t come without incident; the 2010 Rookie of the Year went down on Turn 6, but was able to get up and walk away from the crash.
Rounding out the top ten was Pramac Racing Ducati rider Aleix Espargaros.
Valencia MotoGP Free Practice 2
After being crushed by Stoner’s times, Lorenzo fought back in FP2 and ousted the Australian. Lorenzo’s lap, 1:32,690, not only became the fastest in FP2, but also the fastest of the day.
Stoner wasn’t far behind, the Ducati GP10 man only 0.314 of a second behind Lorenzo. Both riders were the only ones to post under the 1:33 mark.
The third fastest was Edwards, who posted a 1:33.466. But two MotoGP riders were within 0.004 of Edwards, Simoncelli and Dovizioso, respectively.
After crashing in FP1 and only placing his M1 in ninth, Spies came back at FP2 to post the sixth fastest time. Seventh and eight quickest were de Puniet and Simoncelli’s teammate, Marco Melandri.
Meanwhile, Rossi struggled with grip, and was only ninth fastest. The American Hayden followed in tenth.
2010 Valencia MotoGP FP1 Results:
Pos. | Num. | Rider | Nation | Team | Bike | Km/h | Time | Gap 1st/Prev. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 27 | Casey STONER | AUS | Ducati Team | Ducati | 308.1 | 1’32.897 | |
2. | 99 | Jorge LORENZO | SPA | Fiat Yamaha Team | Yamaha | 306.6 | 1’33.455 | 0.558 / 0.558 |
3. | 4 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 308.0 | 1’33.500 | 0.603 / 0.045 |
4. | 58 | Marco SIMONCELLI | ITA | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda | 300.4 | 1’33.631 | 0.734 / 0.131 |
5. | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Fiat Yamaha Team | Yamaha | 302.0 | 1’33.714 | 0.817 / 0.083 |
6. | 69 | Nicky HAYDEN | USA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 306.1 | 1’33.757 | 0.860 / 0.043 |
7. | 40 | Hector BARBERA | SPA | Paginas Amarillas Aspar | Ducati | 311.1 | 1’33.857 | 0.960 / 0.100 |
8. | 14 | Randy DE PUNIET | FRA | LCR Honda MotoGP | Honda | 302.9 | 1’33.899 | 1.002 / 0.042 |
9. | 11 | Ben SPIES | USA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 304.5 | 1’33.929 | 1.032 / 0.030 |
10. | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARO | SPA | Pramac Racing Team | Ducati | 301.5 | 1’34.029 | 1.132 / 0.100 |
11. | 5 | Colin EDWARDS | USA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 302.0 | 1’34.053 | 1.156 / 0.024 |
12. | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 310.3 | 1’34.123 | 1.226 / 0.070 |
13. | 33 | Marco MELANDRI | ITA | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda | 307.3 | 1’34.160 | 1.263 / 0.037 |
14. | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | Rizla Suzuki MotoGP | Suzuki | 307.2 | 1’34.506 | 1.609 / 0.346 |
15. | 65 | Loris CAPIROSSI | ITA | Rizla Suzuki MotoGP | Suzuki | 300.8 | 1’34.864 | 1.967 / 0.358 |
16. | 7 | Hiroshi AOYAMA | JPN | Interwetten Honda MotoGP | Honda | 308.8 | 1’34.904 | 2.007 / 0.040 |
17. | 71 | Carlos CHECA | SPA | Pramac Racing Team | Ducati | 302.3 | 1’35.172 | 2.275 / 0.26 |
 2010 Valencia MotoGP FP2 Results:
Pos. | Num. | Rider | Nation | Team | Bike | Km/h | Time | Gap 1st/Prev. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 99 | Jorge LORENZO | SPA | Fiat Yamaha Team | Yamaha | 302.3 | 1’32.690 | |
2. | 27 | Casey STONER | AUS | Ducati Team | Ducati | 304.8 | 1’33.004 | 0.314 / 0.314 |
3. | 5 | Colin EDWARDS | USA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 301.7 | 1’33.466 | 0.776 / 0.462 |
4. | 58 | Marco SIMONCELLI | ITA | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda | 299.3 | 1’33.468 | 0.778 / 0.002 |
5. | 4 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 305.6 | 1’33.470 | 0.780 / 0.002 |
6. | 11 | Ben SPIES | USA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 303.0 | 1’33.528 | 0.838 / 0.058 |
7. | 14 | Randy DE PUNIET | FRA | LCR Honda MotoGP | Honda | 301.9 | 1’33.535 | 0.845 / 0.007 |
8. | 33 | Marco MELANDRI | ITA | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda | 304.7 | 1’33.568 | 0.878 / 0.033 |
9. | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Fiat Yamaha Team | Yamaha | 303.3 | 1’33.661 | 0.971 / 0.093 |
10. | 69 | Nicky HAYDEN | USA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 301.2 | 1’33.684 | 0.994 / 0.023 |
11. | 40 | Hector BARBERA | SPA | Paginas Amarillas Aspar | Ducati | 308.0 | 1’33.782 | 1.092 / 0.098 |
12. | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 307.5 | 1’33.927 | 1.237 / 0.145 |
13. | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARO | SPA | Pramac Racing Team | Ducati | 301.5 | 1’33.954 | 1.264 / 0.027 |
14. | 7 | Hiroshi AOYAMA | JPN | Interwetten Honda MotoGP | Honda | 305.3 | 1’34.154 | 1.464 / 0.200 |
15. | 65 | Loris CAPIROSSI | ITA | Rizla Suzuki MotoGP | Suzuki | 299.3 | 1’34.248 | 1.558 / 0.094 |
16. | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | Rizla Suzuki MotoGP | Suzuki | 303.0 | 1’34.296 | 1.606 / 0.048 |
17. | 71 | Carlos CHECA | SPA | Pramac Racing Team | Ducati | 301.2 | 1’34.636 | 1.946 / 0.340 |