MotoGP Silverstone: Free Practice Report

By
Ron Lieback
-

MotoGP Practice

MotoGP returns to the famous Silverstone circuit this weekend for the first time since 1986, before this season’s championship leader Jorge Lorenzo was even born.

However it didn’t take long for Fiat Yamaha’s Spaniard to learn its new layout, ending the day as the fastest rider as the AirAsia British Grand Prix weekend got underway in cloudy conditions.

The Spaniard set his best lap in a time of 2’05.991 with just over 11 minutes to go, but it was not long before the session came to an early end as rain hit the Northamptonshire track.

A winner here on a very different national circuit nearly a decade ago, Casey Stoner (Ducati Marlboro) was second on the timesheet. The Australian completed 18 laps on his Desmosedici GP10, the final of which registered his best time at 0.142s off Lorenzo.

Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda), fresh off the back of a home podium finish at Mugello, continued his momentum as he timed in at just under four-tenths off Lorenzo’s early weekend marker. Frenchman Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) had set the pace at the start of the session and eventually placed fourth on the timesheet, fractionally under a tenth off Dovizioso as he displayed a consistent race pace.

Ben Spies (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) will be hoping to take advantage of the fact that this is a new track for all and the rookie was fifth. His first run on the layout placed him 1.259s off Lorenzo and he will take great encouragement from the session, in which he placed ahead of Mugello race winner Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa by almost four-tenths. Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team) was only two-thousandths further back in seventh.

Top ten times were also recorded by Aleix Espargaró (Pramac Racing), Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team) and Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro), and the riders will continue their adaptation to the track in the second practice session which gets underway at 9.55am local time on Saturday morning.

Silverstone, Friday, June 18, 2010

Pos.Num.RiderNationTeamBikeKm/hTimeGap 1st/Prev.
199Jorge

LORENZO		SPAFiat Yamaha TeamYamaha307.12’05.991
227Casey

STONER		AUSDucati TeamDucati307.82’06.1330.142 / 0.142
34Andrea

DOVIZIOSO		ITARepsol Honda TeamHonda309.52’06.3470.356 / 0.214
414Randy DE

PUNIET		FRALCR Honda MotoGPHonda305.72’06.4390.448 / 0.092
511Ben SPIESUSAMonster

Yamaha Tech 3		Yamaha300.82’07.2501.259 /

0.811
626Dani

PEDROSA		SPARepsol Honda TeamHonda310.82’07.5861.595 / 0.336
733Marco

MELANDRI		ITASan Carlo Honda GresiniHonda308.02’07.5881.597 / 0.002
841Aleix

ESPARGARO		SPAPramac Racing TeamDucati302.52’07.9271.936 / 0.339
958Marco

SIMONCELLI		ITASan Carlo Honda GresiniHonda299.72’07.9511.960 / 0.024
1069Nicky

HAYDEN		USADucati TeamDucati300.82’08.3002.309 / 0.349
1140Hector

BARBERA		SPAPaginas Amarillas AsparDucati295.72’08.4522.461 / 0.152
125Colin

EDWARDS		USAMonster Yamaha Tech 3Yamaha301.92’08.5252.534 / 0.073
1319Alvaro

BAUTISTA		SPARizla Suzuki MotoGPSuzuki303.92’08.6662.675 / 0.141
147Hiroshi

AOYAMA		JPNInterwetten Honda MotoGPHonda305.32’09.6393.648 / 0.973
1565Loris

CAPIROSSI		ITARizla Suzuki MotoGPSuzuki303.22’09.8053.814 / 0.166
1636Mika KALLIOFINPramac

Racing Team		Ducati301.32’10.2274.236 /

0.422

Moto2

Shoya Tomizawa took top spot on the timesheet in the first free practice at Silverstone on Friday, setting a fastest lap of 2’28.020 on a wet track as the rain that had started to fall lightly at the end of the MotoGP session turned heavier throughout the Moto2 hour.

The Technomag-CIP rider, who is currently second in the Championship standings, was 0.582s faster than Australian Anthony West (MZ Racing) in the complicated conditions, with Xavier Simeon – who is substituting for the injured Yannick Guerra on the Holiday Gym G22 team this weekend – third at just over a tenth further back.

Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing) handled the wet well to place fourth, whilst Alex de Angelis (RSM Team Scot) set the fifth best time before falling right at the very end of the session.

British rider Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing) got his weekend off to a confident start with sixth spot, and Alex Baldolini (Caretta Technology Race Dept) and Dominique Aegerter (Technomag-CIP) completed the top eight. Championship leader Toni Elías (Gresini Racing Moto2) was 22nd in the session, with third placed Simone Corsi (JiR Moto2) one spot ahead of him in 21st.

Silverstone, Friday, June 18, 2010

Pos.Num.RiderNationTeamBikeKm/hTimeGap 1st/Prev.
148Shoya

TOMIZAWA		JPNTechnomag-CIPSuter252.92’28.020
28Anthony

WEST		AUSMZ Racing TeamMZ-RE Honda249.92’28.6020.582 / 0.582
319Xavier

SIMEON		BELHoliday Gym G22Moriwaki252.32’28.7330.713 / 0.131
417Karel

ABRAHAM		CZECardion AB MotoracingFTR249.52’28.7590.739 / 0.026
515Alex DE

ANGELIS		RSMRSM Team ScotForce GP210250.02’29.1891.169 / 0.430
645Scott

REDDING		GBRMarc VDS Racing TeamSuter251.92’29.2671.247 / 0.078
725Alex

BALDOLINI		ITACaretta Technology Race DeptI.C.P.253.32’29.3421.322 / 0.075
877Dominique

AEGERTER		SWITechnomag-CIPSuter254.12’29.3641.344 / 0.022
941Arne TODEGERRacing

Team Germany		Suter254.52’29.6581.638 /

0.294
1016Jules

CLUZEL		FRAForward RacingSuter252.92’29.6591.639 / 0.001
1112Thomas

LUTHI		SWIInterwetten Moriwaki Moto2Moriwaki253.02’29.7451.725 / 0.086
1271Claudio

CORTI		ITAForward RacingSuter250.02’29.9231.903 / 0.178
1321Vladimir

LEONOV		RUSVector Kiefer RacingSuter247.62’29.9651.945 / 0.042
1452Lukas PESEKCZEMatteoni

CP Racing		Moriwaki251.92’29.9721.952 /

0.007
152Gabor

TALMACSI		HUNFimmco Speed UpSpeed Up254.22’29.9921.972 / 0.020
1668Yonny

HERNANDEZ		COLBlusens-STXBQR-Moto2252.52’30.0412.021 / 0.049
1763Mike DI

MEGLIO		FRAMapfre Aspar TeamSuter248.92’30.2142.194 / 0.173
186Alex DEBONSPAAeroport

de Castello – Ajo		FTR247.62’30.3862.366 /

0.172
1975Mattia

PASINI		ITAJIR Moto2Motobi251.92’30.9182.898 / 0.532
2060Julian

SIMON		SPAMapfre Aspar TeamSuter251.62’31.0152.995 / 0.097
213Simone

CORSI		ITAJIR Moto2Motobi253.42’31.2363.216 / 0.221
2224Toni ELIASSPAGresini

Racing Moto2		Moriwaki254.42’31.4073.387 /

0.171
2372Yuki

TAKAHASHI		JPNTech 3 RacingTech 3248.82’31.7963.776 / 0.389
2455Hector

FAUBEL		SPAMarc VDS Racing TeamSuter248.72’32.0544.034 / 0.258
259Kenny NOYESUSAJack

& Jones by A.Banderas		Promoharris250.82’32.1324.112 / 0.078
2635Raffaele

DE ROSA		ITATech 3 RacingTech 3251.52’32.2694.249 / 0.137
2729Andrea

IANNONE		ITAFimmco Speed UpSpeed Up253.32’32.4814.461 / 0.212
2861Vladimir

IVANOV		UKRGresini Racing Moto2Moriwaki239.82’32.6614.641 / 0.180
2940Sergio

GADEA		SPATenerife 40 PonsPons Kalex249.62’32.9264.906 / 0.265
3014Ratthapark

WILAIROT		THAThai Honda PTT Singha SAGBimota250.02’32.9294.909 / 0.003
3165Stefan

BRADL		GERViessmann Kiefer RacingSuter248.42’33.2005.180 / 0.271
3253Valentin

DEBISE		FRAWTR San Marino TeamADV249.82’33.5845.564 / 0.384
3376Bernat

MARTINEZ		SPAMaquinza-SAG TeamBimota243.12’33.7755.755 / 0.191
3459Niccolo

CANEPA		ITARSM Team ScotForce GP210244.02’34.5206.500 / 0.745
355Joan OLIVESPAJack

& Jones by A.Banderas		Promoharris249.72’34.5506.530 / 0.030
3610Fonsi NIETOSPAHoliday

Gym G22		Moriwaki242.82’34.6286.608 /

0.078
3796Anthony

DELHALLE		FRABlusens-STXBQR-Moto2238.62’34.7956.775 / 0.167
3844Roberto

ROLFO		ITAItaltrans S.T.R.Suter246.52’35.5067.486 / 0.711
3954Kev COGHLANGBRMonlau

Joey Darcey		FTR240.72’35.7497.729 /

0.243
4039Robertino

PIETRI		VENItaltrans S.T.R.Suter246.12’36.2638.243 / 0.514
80Axel PONSSPATenerife

40 Pons		Pons Kalex250.22’38.45810.438 /

2.1

125cc GP

In form and coming off the back of his first ever World Championship GP win at Mugello, Marc Márquez (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) was quick off the mark at Silverstone as he set the best time in the opening 125cc practice session with a lap of 2’15.835 on the new circuit.

Not to be outdone, his fellow Spaniard Pol Espargaró (Tuenti Racing) was just 0.016s further back as he also displayed a strong pace, making himself the only other rider to get under the 2’16” mark in the hour-long session.

Efrén Vázquez (Tuenti Racing) was third fastest and made it an all-Derbi top three, with home rider Bradley Smith (Bancaja Aspar) fourth and his team-mate and Championship leader Nico Terol fifth. The trio were all separated by less than a tenth of a second.

Randy Krummenacher (Stipa-Molenaar Racing) and Tomoyoshi Koyama (Racing Team Germany) have been impressive this season and they took sixth and seventh respectively. Another home rider Danny Webb (Andalucia Cajasol) completed the top eight. The highest placing wildcard was Red Bull MotoGP Rookie rider Danny Kent (Aztec GP) in 24th.

Silverstone, Friday, June 18, 2010

Pos.Num.RiderNationTeamBikeKm/hTimeGap 1st/Prev.
193Marc

MARQUEZ		SPARed Bull Ajo MotorsportDerbi225.72’15.835
244Pol

ESPARGARO		SPATuenti RacingDerbi223.42’15.8510.016 / 0.016
37Efren

VAZQUEZ		SPATuenti RacingDerbi224.22’16.0380.203 / 0.187
438Bradley

SMITH		GBRBancaja Aspar TeamAprilia224.62’16.2680.433 / 0.230
540Nicolas

TEROL		SPABancaja Aspar TeamAprilia222.22’16.5340.699 / 0.266
635Randy

KRUMMENACHER		SWIStipa-Molenaar Racing GPAprilia220.62’17.5611.726 / 1.027
771Tomoyoshi

KOYAMA		JPNRacing Team GermanyAprilia222.22’18.2302.395 / 0.669
899Danny WEBBGBRAndalucia

Cajasol		Aprilia222.32’18.4072.572 /

0.177
914Johann

ZARCO		FRAWTR San Marino TeamAprilia223.62’18.4212.586 / 0.014
1011Sandro

CORTESE		GERAvant Mitsubishi AjoDerbi222.32’18.6132.778 / 0.192
115Alexis

MASBOU		FRAOngetta TeamAprilia216.92’18.6412.806 / 0.028
1223Alberto

MONCAYO		SPAAndalucia CajasolAprilia218.82’18.7422.907 / 0.101
1339Luis SALOMSPAStipa-Molenaar

Racing GP		Aprilia224.42’18.9543.119 /

0.212
1412Esteve

RABAT		SPABlusens-STXAprilia220.92’19.3543.519 / 0.400
1553Jasper

IWEMA		NEDCBC CorseAprilia221.12’19.6963.861 / 0.342
1694Jonas

FOLGER		GEROngetta TeamAprilia219.02’19.7113.876 / 0.015
1726Adrian

MARTIN		SPAAeroport de Castello – AjoAprilia218.62’19.8333.998 / 0.122
1815Simone

GROTZKYJ		ITAFontana RacingAprilia219.72’19.8544.019 / 0.021
1950Sturla

FAGERHAUG		NORAirAsia – Sepang Int. CircuitAprilia215.52’19.8894.054 / 0.035
2078Marcel

SCHROTTER		GERInterwetten Honda 125Honda219.62’20.2174.382 / 0.328
2169Louis ROSSIFRACBC

Corse		Aprilia216.92’21.0955.260 /

0.878
2284Jakub

KORNFEIL		CZERacing Team GermanyAprilia218.92’21.1445.309 / 0.049
2332Lorenzo

SAVADORI		ITAMatteoni CP RacingAprilia212.22’21.2845.449 / 0.140
2452Danny KENTGBRAztec

Grand Prix		Honda205.82’21.4215.586 /

0.137
2560Michael

VAN DER MARK		NEDLambretta Reparto CorseLambretta212.12’21.4295.594 / 0.008
2674James LODGEGBRRS

Earnshaws Motorcycles		Honda209.42’22.9627.127 /

1.533
2773Taylor

MACKENZIE		GBRKRPHonda212.62’23.5037.668 / 0.541
2887Luca

MARCONI		ITAOngetta TeamAprilia215.52’23.6537.818 / 0.150
2975Deane BROWNGBRColin

Appleyard/Macadam Racing		Honda208.52’23.9568.121 /

0.303
3072Marco

RAVAIOLI		ITALambretta Reparto CorseLambretta211.72’24.0588.223 / 0.102
77Andrew REIDIRLAztec

Grand Prix		Honda204.22’27.81011.975 /

3.752
63Zulfahmi

KHAIRUDDIN		MALAirAsia – Sepang Int. CircuitAprilia207.42’29.22513.390 / 1.41

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