Aragon MotoGP: Friday Practice Report

MotoGP Practice Results

At the inaugural race at Motorland Aragon, MotoGP returned to a three-practice format, with two 45-minute sessions held today and the final one before qualifying on Saturday. The first session was dominated by Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa, and the second, rain-soaked session was led by Ducati Team rider Casey Stoner.

Arriving at his home track on the helm of two consecutive wins at Misano and Indy, Pedrosa immediately put his RC212V to work during Free Practice 1, posting a 1:50.506, over four-tenths of a second faster than the 16-rider field. Pedrosa’s time set the fastest time at the new track.

Finishing 0.411 of a second behind Pedrosa was Ducati Team Nicky Hayden, the Kentuckian looking very promising on his GP10. The third and final rider to post under the 1:51 mark was Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo. The current points leader posted a 1:50.928, and was struggling with grip in some areas of the track.

The other Ducati Team rider, Casey Stoner, was fourth quickest, posting a 1:51.195. The Australian was followed by San Carlo Honda Gresini rider Marco Simoncelli, the fastest rookie of the session.

Just one thousandth of a second behind Simoncelli was Fiat Yamaha M1 rider Valentino Rossi, who has won 19 races on Spain soil across all classes. Rounding out the top ten were Paginas Amarillas Aspar Ducati rider Hector Barbera, Repsol Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso and the Texan duo on the Monster Tech 3 Yamahas, Colin Edwards and Ben Spies.

During the second practice session that was plagued by steady rain, Stoner came out fastest with a 2:01.710. The slowed session was lead mostly by Lorenzo, but Stoner was faster towards the end of the slower session, edging the Spaniard out by 0.568 of a second.

Hayden was again up top, the American posting a 2:02.411. Rossi took fourth in the rain, followed by San Carlo Honda Gresini rider Marco Melandri and Dovizioso.

Although Pedrosa was only 13th fastest in FP2, he still posted the fastest time out of the combined sessions. Hayden also maintained second, and Lorenzo third.

Rizla Suzuki Loris Capirossi is not competing this work, the Italian recovering from a hand injury sustained during a wreck in Misano.

The third practice session begins at 10:05 a.m. local time Saturday, followed by qualifying at 2:05 p.m.

Motorland Aragon MotoGP Combined Friday Practice Times:
1. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 1’50.394
2. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Marlboro Team 1’50.917
3. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team 1’50.928
4. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati Marlboro Team 1’51.195
5. Marco Simoncelli (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1’51.768
6. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Fiat Yamaha Team 1’51.769
7. Hector Barbera (SPA) Aspar Team 1’51.792
8. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Repsol Honda Team 1’51.845
9. Colin Edwards (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1’52.027
10. Ben Spies (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1’52.141
11. Marco Melandri (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1’52.321
12. Randy de Puniet (FRA) LCR Honda MotoGP 1’52.340
13. Hiroshi Aoyama (JPN) Interwetten-Honda MotoGP 1’52.512
14. Aleix Espargaro (SPA) Pramac Green Team 1’52.752
15. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1’52.822
16. Mika Kallio (FIN) Pramac Green Team 1’53.190

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