Red Bull Grand Prix
In Saturday’s practice season, it was all Ducati again as Casey Stoner piloted his GP10 to a 1:40.331, over a half-second faster than his Friday time.
The Australian had some complications, though, losing a knee slider during his first outing on the track. Stoner has been reporting his issues with the track, saying it’s not a “world class” circuit, and is too bumpy.
Stoner went on to say turns 1 through 3 are fine, but after that the track falls apart. He said a lot of wheel chatter occurs, and says that’s probably why his teammate Nicky Hayden crashed at turn 13. Also, when Indy confirmed the track will be hosting MotoGP for 2011, Stoner said “70 percent” of the surface needs to be repaved.
Back to free practice 2, only 0.058 of a second behind Stoner was Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa, who improved his time over a full second from Friday. His teammate Andrea Dovizioso was third fastest.
The championship leader, Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo, was fourth fastest, with Hayden in fifth at 1:40.878, the last rider to post under the 1:41 mark.
MotoGP says Ben Spies (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) prepared for the later qualifying session with the sixth best time, with Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team) and Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) inside the top eight.
MotoGP says Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha) set the ninth fastest time and had a non-consequential fall with 20 minutes remaining in turn ten. The Italian avoided injury and was back on track quickly, but his best time remained from his fifth of 29 laps and was 0.901s off Stoner’s marker. Aleix Espargaró (Pramac Racing) completed the top ten, with rookie Héctor Barberá (Páginas Amarillas Aspar) 11th and escaping any mishaps when falling at the very end.
MotoGP says two riders continuing their respective recoveries from injury were Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) and Hiroshi Aoyama (Interwetten Honda MotoGP), and they placed 14th and 17th respectively.
2010 MotoGP Indy Saturday Free Practice 2 Results:
1. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 1:40.331
2. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team 1:40.389
3. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team 1:40.432
4. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Fiat Yamaha Team 1:40.642
5. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team 1:40.878
6. Ben Spies USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:41.061
7. Marco Simoncelli ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 1:41.136
8. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:41.192
9. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 1:41.232
10. Aleix Espargaro ESP Pramac Racing 1:41.354
11. Hector Barbera ESP Paginas Amarillas Aspar 1:41.390
12. Alvaro Bautista ESP Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1:41.715
13. Marco Melandri ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 1:41.783
14. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 1:41.876
15. Mika Kallio FIN Pramac Racing 1:41.922
16. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1:41.975
17. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Interwetten Honda MotoGP 1:42.517
