2011 Jerez MotoGP: Friday Practice Results

Spanish GP News

In the typical fashion that Casey Stoner has been riding so far in 2011 MotoGP, the Australian set the pace Friday during the opening day of the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez.

By the time Free Practice 1 was complete, Stoner piloted his Repsol Honda RC212V to a blistering lap of 1:39.551, which was two-tenths of a second faster than the circuit record set by Stoner’s teammate Dani Pedrosa in 2010.

Stoner wouldn’t take the top time in Free Practice 2; Pedrosa would be quicker than Stoner by 0.188 of a second. But Stoner remained on top Friday, posting the fastest lap of both sessions.

As for Valentino Rossi, the most successful rider throughout nine years of MotoGP racing at Jerez, the Italian who won at the track six times in the premier class was third fastest in FP1, and fifth fastest in FP2. In both sessions, Rossi was the highest-placed Ducati rider.

Jerez MotoGP Free Practice 1 Report

The 17-rider MotoGP grid was greeted with pleasant weather at FP1 in Jerez for the first European round of 2011. Stoner, who dominated every session and the race at the opening round in Qatar, was quickest, followed by Pedrosa.

Pedrosa, who will undergo further surgery after Jerez on the shoulder he injured at Motegi last year, was only 0.028 of a second behind Stoner.

For the first time all season, Rossi was running up top. Rossi was 0.526 of a second behind Stoner. He was followed by his fellow countryman Marco Simoncelli on the San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V, who was only 0.099 of a second.

Taking fifth in FP1 one was the reigning MotoGP Champion, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo. Sixth went to the third Repsol Honda rider, Andrea Dovizioso, who crashed at Turn 14.

Three Americans were in the top 10: Yamaha Factory Racing’s Ben Spies in seventh, Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Colin Edwards in eight and Rossi’s teammate Nicky Hayden in 10th.

Ninth fastest in FP1 was Randy de Puniet on the Pramac Racing Ducati.

Jerez MotoGP Free Practice 2 Report

Last year’s Jerez winner was fastest in FP2 with a 1:40.101, edging out his teammate Stoner by 0.188 of a second.

Lorenzo moved up two positions in FP3, posting the third-fastest time, 0.522 of a second behind Pedrosa. Simoncelli was fourth fastest again, this time followed by Rossi, who was 0.946 of second behind Pedrosa.

Rossi was followed by another Ducati rider, de Puniet. Spies was the highest-placed American in FP2, followed by fellow countryman Hayden. Rounding out the top 10 were San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Hiroshi Aoyama and the rookie Karel Abraham on the Cardion ab Motoracing Ducati.

The MotoGP pilots will be back on the track Saturday morning for Free Practice 3, then qualifying for Sunday’s Spanish GP, round 2 of 18 in the 2011 MotoGP Championship.

2011 Jerez MotoGP: FP1 Results

2011 Jerez MotoGP: FP2 Results