MotoGP: Free Practice Times Catalunya

By
Ron Lieback
-

MotoGP FP1

Championship leader, Jorge Lorenzo, took first blood in the stifling heat of Barcelona, topping the timesheet with a time of 1’43.259 at the end of this afternoon’s first MotoGP free practice session ahead of the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya.

With the ambient air temperature topping 37ºC and the track temperature rising to 52ºC during the session, free practice was demanding of riders, bikes and tyres this afternoon but Lorenzo, who is going for a third straight win this weekend in front of his home crowd, still managed to lap the 4.727km Catalunya circuit 0.153s faster than Casey Stoner.

The Ducati Team rider had a run-off early on in the session at Turn 1 but it was a minor event, as he went on to record the second fastest time aboard his Desmosedici GP10 at a track he declared as fun to ride.

Completing the top three was Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa who finished almost four-tenths of the time of his fellow countryman, Lorenzo. Seeking an improvement in the consistency of his results on his RC212V this weekend, Pedrosa started his quest in promising fashion at a track on which he has won races in three different classes.

Teammate Andrea Dovizioso was 0.094s further back in fourth, while Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Ben Spies put in a hot penultimate lap to shoot up from 15th to fifth inside the final minutes of the session, as he set about learning another new track.

Aleix Espargaró’s improvements continued on board the Pramac Ducati as he set the sixth fastest lap of the session, just under nine-tenths off Lorenzo, whilst Randy de Puniet is also on track for another good result at Catalunya having finished seventh and just 0.06s behind Espargaró.

Nicky Hayden made a step up towards the end of the session to move into eighth spot, with Colin Edwards and Marco Simoncelli also posting top-ten lap times.

The only crash of the session occurred 23 minutes in when Álvaro Bautista fell on his tenth lap whilst running fifth fastest, with his team checking to see if a problem with his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R had caused the crash. The rookie was back out shortly after and completed a further ten laps, eventually finishing 12th – one spot behind teammate Loris Capirossi – despite having banged his injured shoulder once again in the crash.

San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Marco Melandri was 14th, a brave ride from the Italian, who looked to be in some pain with the shoulder injury and fractured sternum he sustained in a practice crash at Assen just eight days ago.

Wataru Yoshikawa started his first GP weekend as Valentino Rossi’s substitute on the Fiat Yamaha team and was 17th fastest, just behind Kousuke Akiyoshi who continues to fill in for the injured Hiroshi Aoyama on the Interwetten Honda.

MotoGP – FP1 – Barcelona, Friday, July 02, 2010

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

Yamaha Team		Yamaha322.41’43.259
227Casey STONERAUSDucati

Team		Ducati321.81’43.4120.153 /

0.153
326Dani PEDROSASPARepsol

Honda Team		Honda327.21’43.6310.372 /

0.219
44Andrea DOVIZIOSOITARepsol

Honda Team		Honda322.81’43.7250.466 /

0.094
511Ben SPIESUSAMonster

Yamaha Tech 3		Yamaha321.11’43.8540.595 /

0.129
641Aleix ESPARGAROSPAPramac

Racing Team		Ducati319.11’44.1360.877 /

0.282
714Randy DE PUNIETFRALCR

Honda MotoGP		Honda321.21’44.1960.937 /

0.060
869Nicky HAYDENUSADucati

Team		Ducati324.91’44.4401.181 /

0.244
95Colin EDWARDSUSAMonster

Yamaha Tech 3		Yamaha318.21’44.5511.292 /

0.111
1058Marco SIMONCELLIITASan

Carlo Honda Gresini		Honda321.51’44.6341.375 /

0.083
1165Loris CAPIROSSIITARizla

Suzuki MotoGP		Suzuki323.21’44.6411.382 /

0.007
1219Alvaro BAUTISTASPARizla

Suzuki MotoGP		Suzuki319.21’44.6921.433 /

0.051
1336Mika KALLIOFINPramac

Racing Team		Ducati318.61’44.7451.486 /

0.053
1433Marco MELANDRIITASan

Carlo Honda Gresini		Honda324.01’44.8061.547 /

0.061
1540Hector BARBERASPAPaginas

Amarillas Aspar		Ducati321.41’45.0041.745 /

0.198
1664Kousuke AKIYOSHIJPNInterwetten

Honda MotoGP		Honda313.71’47.7574.498 /

2.753
178Wataru

YOSHIKAWA		JPNFiat Yamaha TeamYamaha318.31’48.0154.756 / 0.258

Moto2

Eager to delight a strong home crowd this weekend at Catalunya and with a Championship lead to maintain, Toni Elías made the perfect start by topping the opening practice session with a best lap of 1’48.425. The Gresini Racing Moto2 rider posted his effort on the 23rd of 25 laps, placing him 0.107s clear at the head of the timesheet.

Following him was Sergio Gadea who is looking to return to the scoring positions this weekend after his run of registering points in every race so far was broken at Assen. At just over a tenth off Elías, Gadea was 0.09s faster than Shoya Tomizawa, although it is the Japanese rider who lies second in the Championship standings ahead of Sunday’s race.

Interwetten Moriwaki Moto2 rider Tom Luthi continued to impress with the fourth fastest time, just eight-thousandths off Tomizawa. The Swiss rider, who has ridden in the last two races – finishing on the podium in each and currently lying third in the standings – with a damaged collarbone, only had surgery last Saturday after Assen but was again on the pace here in Catalunya. In fifth was Andrea Iannone, who comes into this weekend off the back of his second win of 2010 at Assen.

Completing the top-eight positions were Gabor Talmacsi , Yonny Hernández and Julián Simón, with Jules Cluzel and Scott Redding both within 0.534s of Elías as they registered top-ten times as well.

Vladimir Leonov, Iannone, Redding, Cluzel, Alex de Angelis and Raffaele De Rosa all ran off track, but none were prevented from completing the session as a result.

Moto2 – FP1 – Barcelona, Friday, July 02, 2010

Pos.Num.RiderNationTeamBikeKm/hTimeGap 1st/Prev.
124Toni ELIASSPAGresini

Racing Moto2		Moriwaki272.61’48.425
240Sergio GADEASPATenerife

40 Pons		Pons Kalex277.11’48.5320.107 /

0.107
348Shoya TOMIZAWAJPNTechnomag-CIPSuter272.51’48.6220.197 / 0.090
412Thomas LUTHISWIInterwetten

Moriwaki Moto2		Moriwaki273.61’48.6300.205 /

0.008
529Andrea IANNONEITAFimmco

Speed Up		Speed Up279.61’48.7430.318 /

0.113
62Gabor TALMACSIHUNFimmco

Speed Up		Speed Up273.61’48.8480.423 /

0.105
768Yonny HERNANDEZCOLBlusens-STXBQR-Moto2268.11’48.8490.424 / 0.001
860Julian SIMONSPAMapfre

Aspar Team		Suter276.61’48.8540.429 /

0.005
916Jules CLUZELFRAForward

Racing		Suter275.41’48.8670.442 /

0.013
1045Scott REDDINGGBRMarc

VDS Racing Team		Suter271.41’48.9590.534 /

0.092
1125Alex BALDOLINIITACaretta

Technology Race Dept		I.C.P.273.01’49.0330.608 /

0.074
1244Roberto ROLFOITAItaltrans

S.T.R.		Suter273.91’49.1990.774 /

0.166
1315Alex DE ANGELISRSMRSM

Team Scot		Force GP210274.91’49.2120.787 /

0.013
1417Karel ABRAHAMCZECardion

AB Motoracing		FTR275.21’49.2160.791 /

0.004
1572Yuki TAKAHASHIJPNTech

3 Racing		Tech 3277.11’49.3650.940 /

0.149
169Kenny NOYESUSAJack

& Jones by A.Banderas		Promoharris275.51’49.3720.947 / 0.007
1759Niccolo CANEPAITARSM

Team Scot		Force GP210273.41’49.3910.966 /

0.019
1863Mike DI MEGLIOFRAMapfre

Aspar Team		Suter277.11’49.4150.990 /

0.024
1914Ratthapark

WILAIROT		THAThai Honda PTT Singha SAGBimota274.81’49.5821.157 / 0.167
2071Claudio CORTIITAForward

Racing		Suter274.21’49.5841.159 /

0.002
2131Carmelo MORALESSPATenerife

40 Pons		Pons Kalex269.71’49.6181.193 /

0.034
223Simone CORSIITAJIR

Moto2		Motobi277.51’49.6291.204 /

0.011
2335Raffaele DE

ROSA		ITATech 3 RacingTech 3272.51’49.7681.343 / 0.139
2452Lukas PESEKCZEMatteoni

CP Racing		Moriwaki272.21’49.8661.441 /

0.098
2555Hector FAUBELSPAMarc

VDS Racing Team		Suter272.31’49.9221.497 /

0.056
2677Dominique

AEGERTER		SWITechnomag-CIPSuter274.31’49.9861.561 / 0.064
2719Xavier SIMEONBELHoliday

Gym G22		Moriwaki270.31’50.0411.616 /

0.055
2876Bernat MARTINEZSPAMaquinza-SAG

Team		Bimota265.61’50.0811.656 /

0.040
294Ricard CARDUSSPAViessmann

Kiefer Racing		Suter271.71’50.1641.739 /

0.083
3018Jordi TORRESSPAMR

Griful		Promoharris267.11’50.1971.772 /

0.033
316Alex DEBONSPAAeroport

de Castello – Ajo		FTR272.31’50.2781.853 /

0.081
3261Vladimir IVANOVUKRGresini

Racing Moto2		Moriwaki270.91’50.2971.872 /

0.019
337Dani RIVASSPAMR

Griful		Promoharris270.71’50.3271.902 /

0.030
348Anthony WESTAUSMZ

Racing Team		MZ-RE Honda272.31’50.3321.907 /

0.005
3553Valentin DEBISEFRAWTR

San Marino Team		ADV272.71’50.3721.947 /

0.040
3610Fonsi NIETOSPAHoliday

Gym G22		Moriwaki273.81’50.4292.004 /

0.057
3711Yusuke TESHIMAJPNJIR

Moto2		TSR274.31’50.4992.074 /

0.070
3821Vladimir LEONOVRUSVector

Kiefer Racing		Suter267.11’50.5952.170 /

0.096
3941Arne TODEGERRacing

Team Germany		Suter275.41’50.6192.194 /

0.024
405Joan OLIVESPAJack

& Jones by A.Banderas		Promoharris271.41’50.6212.196 / 0.002
4139Robertino PIETRIVENItaltrans

S.T.R.		Suter270.11’51.3822.957 /

0.761
4295Mashel AL NAIMIQATBlusens-STXBQR-Moto2274.71’51.5963.171 / 0.214

125 GP

Marc Márquez matched the scorching weather conditions in Barcelona on Friday afternoon by setting the hottest lap of FP1, topping the opening 125cc session of the weekend with a best time of 1’51.219. The Red Bull Ajo Motorsport rider is seeking his fourth straight win of 2010 at his home GP and made his intentions clear during the hour-long practice.

Second on the timesheet and searching for his second podium of the season, Bradley Smith was 0.246s off Márquez with the British rider’s Bancaja Aspar team-mate and current Championship leader Nico Terol in third, over half a second off his colleague’s pace as he made himself the final rider under the 1’52” mark. Pol Espargaró, who crashed without injury during the session, was a further 0.019s back in fourth.

The gap to fifth-placed Efrén Vázquez was far more substantial at 1.269s, just over two seconds off Márquez’s pace at the front. Jonas Folger, Sandro Cortese, Johann Zarco, Randy Krummenacher and Esteve Rabat were separated by less than two-tenths as they completed the top ten. British rider, Danny Webb, was 12th.

As well as Espargaró there were crashes for wildcard rider Peter Sebestyen and Louis Rossi towards the end of the session with none experiencing any lasting effects.

125cc GP – FP1 – Barcelona, Friday, July 02, 2010

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

Bull Ajo Motorsport		Derbi233.51’51.219
238Bradley SMITHGBRBancaja

Aspar Team		Aprilia229.91’51.4650.246 /

0.246
340Nicolas TEROLSPABancaja

Aspar Team		Aprilia231.61’51.9830.764 /

0.518
444Pol ESPARGAROSPATuenti

Racing		Derbi228.81’52.0020.783 /

0.019
57Efren VAZQUEZSPATuenti

Racing		Derbi226.51’53.2712.052 /

1.269
694Jonas FOLGERGEROngetta

Team		Aprilia226.71’53.4502.231 /

0.179
711Sandro CORTESEGERAvant

Mitsubishi Ajo		Derbi223.11’53.4982.279 /

0.048
814Johann ZARCOFRAWTR

San Marino Team		Aprilia228.51’53.5132.294 /

0.015
935Randy

KRUMMENACHER		SWIStipa-Molenaar Racing GPAprilia229.01’53.5342.315 / 0.021
1012Esteve RABATSPABlusens-STXAprilia224.31’53.6222.403 / 0.088
1171Tomoyoshi KOYAMAJPNRacing

Team Germany		Aprilia223.31’53.7872.568 /

0.165
1299Danny WEBBGBRAndalucia

Cajasol		Aprilia224.61’53.7962.577 /

0.009
1350Sturla

FAGERHAUG		NORAirAsia – Sepang Int. CircuitAprilia225.11’53.9262.707 / 0.130
1439Luis SALOMSPAStipa-Molenaar

Racing GP		Aprilia227.51’53.9522.733 /

0.026
1563Zulfahmi

KHAIRUDDIN		MALAirAsia – Sepang Int. CircuitAprilia224.41’54.4323.213 / 0.480
1615Simone GROTZKYJITAFontana

Racing		Aprilia229.31’54.4533.234 /

0.021
175Alexis MASBOUFRAOngetta

Team		Aprilia225.61’54.8703.651 /

0.417
1853Jasper IWEMANEDCBC

Corse		Aprilia224.51’55.1653.946 /

0.295
1923Alberto MONCAYOSPAAndalucia

Cajasol		Aprilia221.91’55.3284.109 /

0.163
2026Adrian MARTINSPAAeroport

de Castello – Ajo		Aprilia225.81’55.3374.118 /

0.009
2155Isaac VIÑALESSPACatalunya

Racing Team		Aprilia219.61’55.3514.132 /

0.014
2284Jakub KORNFEILCZERacing

Team Germany		Aprilia221.21’55.7574.538 /

0.406
2359Johnny ROSELLSPASAG

Castrol		Honda218.81’55.9054.686 /

0.148
2478Marcel SCHROTTERGERInterwetten

Honda 125		Honda224.31’55.9354.716 /

0.030
2569Louis ROSSIFRACBC

Corse		Aprilia220.41’56.0584.839 /

0.123
2658Joan PERELLOSPASAG

Castrol		Honda215.41’56.6515.432 /

0.593
2760Michael VAN

DER MARK		NEDLambretta Reparto CorseLambretta216.21’56.7875.568 / 0.136
2887Luca MARCONIITAOngetta

Team		Aprilia219.61’56.8355.616 /

0.048
2932Lorenzo

SAVADORI		ITAMatteoni CP RacingAprilia219.11’56.9625.743 / 0.127
3072Marco RAVAIOLIITALambretta

Reparto Corse		Lambretta217.41’57.7456.526 /

0.783
56Peter SEBESTYENHUNRight

Guard Racing		Aprilia209.71’59.9578.738 /

2.212
17Eduard LOPEZSPACatalunya

Racing Team		Aprilia

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