MotoGP Silverstone: Free Practice Report

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. Rider Nation Team Bike Km/h Time Gap 1st/Prev.
1 99 Jorge
LORENZO
SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 307.1 2’05.991
2 27 Casey
STONER
AUS Ducati Team Ducati 307.8 2’06.133 0.142 / 0.142
3 4 Andrea
DOVIZIOSO
ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 309.5 2’06.347 0.356 / 0.214
4 14 Randy DE
PUNIET
FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 305.7 2’06.439 0.448 / 0.092
5 11 Ben SPIES USA Monster
Yamaha Tech 3
Yamaha 300.8 2’07.250 1.259 /
0.811
6 26 Dani
PEDROSA
SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 310.8 2’07.586 1.595 / 0.336
7 33 Marco
MELANDRI
ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 308.0 2’07.588 1.597 / 0.002
8 41 Aleix
ESPARGARO
SPA Pramac Racing Team Ducati 302.5 2’07.927 1.936 / 0.339
9 58 Marco
SIMONCELLI
ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 299.7 2’07.951 1.960 / 0.024
10 69 Nicky
HAYDEN
USA Ducati Team Ducati 300.8 2’08.300 2.309 / 0.349
11 40 Hector
BARBERA
SPA Paginas Amarillas Aspar Ducati 295.7 2’08.452 2.461 / 0.152
12 5 Colin
EDWARDS
USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 301.9 2’08.525 2.534 / 0.073
13 19 Alvaro
BAUTISTA
SPA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 303.9 2’08.666 2.675 / 0.141
14 7 Hiroshi
AOYAMA
JPN Interwetten Honda MotoGP Honda 305.3 2’09.639 3.648 / 0.973
15 65 Loris
CAPIROSSI
ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 303.2 2’09.805 3.814 / 0.166
16 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac
Racing Team
Ducati 301.3 2’10.227 4.236 /
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. Rider Nation Team Bike Km/h Time Gap 1st/Prev.
1 48 Shoya
TOMIZAWA
JPN Technomag-CIP Suter 252.9 2’28.020
2 8 Anthony
WEST
AUS MZ Racing Team MZ-RE Honda 249.9 2’28.602 0.582 / 0.582
3 19 Xavier
SIMEON
BEL Holiday Gym G22 Moriwaki 252.3 2’28.733 0.713 / 0.131
4 17 Karel
ABRAHAM
CZE Cardion AB Motoracing FTR 249.5 2’28.759 0.739 / 0.026
5 15 Alex DE
ANGELIS
RSM RSM Team Scot Force GP210 250.0 2’29.189 1.169 / 0.430
6 45 Scott
REDDING
GBR Marc VDS Racing Team Suter 251.9 2’29.267 1.247 / 0.078
7 25 Alex
BALDOLINI
ITA Caretta Technology Race Dept I.C.P. 253.3 2’29.342 1.322 / 0.075
8 77 Dominique
AEGERTER
SWI Technomag-CIP Suter 254.1 2’29.364 1.344 / 0.022
9 41 Arne TODE GER Racing
Team Germany
Suter 254.5 2’29.658 1.638 /
0.294
10 16 Jules
CLUZEL
FRA Forward Racing Suter 252.9 2’29.659 1.639 / 0.001
11 12 Thomas
LUTHI
SWI Interwetten Moriwaki Moto2 Moriwaki 253.0 2’29.745 1.725 / 0.086
12 71 Claudio
CORTI
ITA Forward Racing Suter 250.0 2’29.923 1.903 / 0.178
13 21 Vladimir
LEONOV
RUS Vector Kiefer Racing Suter 247.6 2’29.965 1.945 / 0.042
14 52 Lukas PESEK CZE Matteoni
CP Racing
Moriwaki 251.9 2’29.972 1.952 /
0.007
15 2 Gabor
TALMACSI
HUN Fimmco Speed Up Speed Up 254.2 2’29.992 1.972 / 0.020
16 68 Yonny
HERNANDEZ
COL Blusens-STX BQR-Moto2 252.5 2’30.041 2.021 / 0.049
17 63 Mike DI
MEGLIO
FRA Mapfre Aspar Team Suter 248.9 2’30.214 2.194 / 0.173
18 6 Alex DEBON SPA Aeroport
de Castello – Ajo
FTR 247.6 2’30.386 2.366 /
0.172
19 75 Mattia
PASINI
ITA JIR Moto2 Motobi 251.9 2’30.918 2.898 / 0.532
20 60 Julian
SIMON
SPA Mapfre Aspar Team Suter 251.6 2’31.015 2.995 / 0.097
21 3 Simone
CORSI
ITA JIR Moto2 Motobi 253.4 2’31.236 3.216 / 0.221
22 24 Toni ELIAS SPA Gresini
Racing Moto2
Moriwaki 254.4 2’31.407 3.387 /
0.171
23 72 Yuki
TAKAHASHI
JPN Tech 3 Racing Tech 3 248.8 2’31.796 3.776 / 0.389
24 55 Hector
FAUBEL
SPA Marc VDS Racing Team Suter 248.7 2’32.054 4.034 / 0.258
25 9 Kenny NOYES USA Jack
& Jones by A.Banderas
Promoharris 250.8 2’32.132 4.112 / 0.078
26 35 Raffaele
DE ROSA
ITA Tech 3 Racing Tech 3 251.5 2’32.269 4.249 / 0.137
27 29 Andrea
IANNONE
ITA Fimmco Speed Up Speed Up 253.3 2’32.481 4.461 / 0.212
28 61 Vladimir
IVANOV
UKR Gresini Racing Moto2 Moriwaki 239.8 2’32.661 4.641 / 0.180
29 40 Sergio
GADEA
SPA Tenerife 40 Pons Pons Kalex 249.6 2’32.926 4.906 / 0.265
30 14 Ratthapark
WILAIROT
THA Thai Honda PTT Singha SAG Bimota 250.0 2’32.929 4.909 / 0.003
31 65 Stefan
BRADL
GER Viessmann Kiefer Racing Suter 248.4 2’33.200 5.180 / 0.271
32 53 Valentin
DEBISE
FRA WTR San Marino Team ADV 249.8 2’33.584 5.564 / 0.384
33 76 Bernat
MARTINEZ
SPA Maquinza-SAG Team Bimota 243.1 2’33.775 5.755 / 0.191
34 59 Niccolo
CANEPA
ITA RSM Team Scot Force GP210 244.0 2’34.520 6.500 / 0.745
35 5 Joan OLIVE SPA Jack
& Jones by A.Banderas
Promoharris 249.7 2’34.550 6.530 / 0.030
36 10 Fonsi NIETO SPA Holiday
Gym G22
Moriwaki 242.8 2’34.628 6.608 /
0.078
37 96 Anthony
DELHALLE
FRA Blusens-STX BQR-Moto2 238.6 2’34.795 6.775 / 0.167
38 44 Roberto
ROLFO
ITA Italtrans S.T.R. Suter 246.5 2’35.506 7.486 / 0.711
39 54 Kev COGHLAN GBR Monlau
Joey Darcey
FTR 240.7 2’35.749 7.729 /
0.243
40 39 Robertino
PIETRI
VEN Italtrans S.T.R. Suter 246.1 2’36.263 8.243 / 0.514
80 Axel PONS SPA Tenerife
40 Pons
Pons Kalex 250.2 2’38.458 10.438 /
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. Rider Nation Team Bike Km/h Time Gap 1st/Prev.
1 93 Marc
MARQUEZ
SPA Red Bull Ajo Motorsport Derbi 225.7 2’15.835
2 44 Pol
ESPARGARO
SPA Tuenti Racing Derbi 223.4 2’15.851 0.016 / 0.016
3 7 Efren
VAZQUEZ
SPA Tuenti Racing Derbi 224.2 2’16.038 0.203 / 0.187
4 38 Bradley
SMITH
GBR Bancaja Aspar Team Aprilia 224.6 2’16.268 0.433 / 0.230
5 40 Nicolas
TEROL
SPA Bancaja Aspar Team Aprilia 222.2 2’16.534 0.699 / 0.266
6 35 Randy
KRUMMENACHER
SWI Stipa-Molenaar Racing GP Aprilia 220.6 2’17.561 1.726 / 1.027
7 71 Tomoyoshi
KOYAMA
JPN Racing Team Germany Aprilia 222.2 2’18.230 2.395 / 0.669
8 99 Danny WEBB GBR Andalucia
Cajasol
Aprilia 222.3 2’18.407 2.572 /
0.177
9 14 Johann
ZARCO
FRA WTR San Marino Team Aprilia 223.6 2’18.421 2.586 / 0.014
10 11 Sandro
CORTESE
GER Avant Mitsubishi Ajo Derbi 222.3 2’18.613 2.778 / 0.192
11 5 Alexis
MASBOU
FRA Ongetta Team Aprilia 216.9 2’18.641 2.806 / 0.028
12 23 Alberto
MONCAYO
SPA Andalucia Cajasol Aprilia 218.8 2’18.742 2.907 / 0.101
13 39 Luis SALOM SPA Stipa-Molenaar
Racing GP
Aprilia 224.4 2’18.954 3.119 /
0.212
14 12 Esteve
RABAT
SPA Blusens-STX Aprilia 220.9 2’19.354 3.519 / 0.400
15 53 Jasper
IWEMA
NED CBC Corse Aprilia 221.1 2’19.696 3.861 / 0.342
16 94 Jonas
FOLGER
GER Ongetta Team Aprilia 219.0 2’19.711 3.876 / 0.015
17 26 Adrian
MARTIN
SPA Aeroport de Castello – Ajo Aprilia 218.6 2’19.833 3.998 / 0.122
18 15 Simone
GROTZKYJ
ITA Fontana Racing Aprilia 219.7 2’19.854 4.019 / 0.021
19 50 Sturla
FAGERHAUG
NOR AirAsia – Sepang Int. Circuit Aprilia 215.5 2’19.889 4.054 / 0.035
20 78 Marcel
SCHROTTER
GER Interwetten Honda 125 Honda 219.6 2’20.217 4.382 / 0.328
21 69 Louis ROSSI FRA CBC
Corse
Aprilia 216.9 2’21.095 5.260 /
0.878
22 84 Jakub
KORNFEIL
CZE Racing Team Germany Aprilia 218.9 2’21.144 5.309 / 0.049
23 32 Lorenzo
SAVADORI
ITA Matteoni CP Racing Aprilia 212.2 2’21.284 5.449 / 0.140
24 52 Danny KENT GBR Aztec
Grand Prix
Honda 205.8 2’21.421 5.586 /
0.137
25 60 Michael
VAN DER MARK
NED Lambretta Reparto Corse Lambretta 212.1 2’21.429 5.594 / 0.008
26 74 James LODGE GBR RS
Earnshaws Motorcycles
Honda 209.4 2’22.962 7.127 /
1.533
27 73 Taylor
MACKENZIE
GBR KRP Honda 212.6 2’23.503 7.668 / 0.541
28 87 Luca
MARCONI
ITA Ongetta Team Aprilia 215.5 2’23.653 7.818 / 0.150
29 75 Deane BROWN GBR Colin
Appleyard/Macadam Racing
Honda 208.5 2’23.956 8.121 /
0.303
30 72 Marco
RAVAIOLI
ITA Lambretta Reparto Corse Lambretta 211.7 2’24.058 8.223 / 0.102
77 Andrew REID IRL Aztec
Grand Prix
Honda 204.2 2’27.810 11.975 /
3.752
63 Zulfahmi
KHAIRUDDIN
MAL AirAsia – Sepang Int. Circuit Aprilia 207.4 2’29.225 13.390 / 1.41