France MotoGP Free Practice
Casey Stoner not only set the fastest time during the first Free Practice session of the France Grand Prix Friday, the Repsol Honda MotoGP pilot also broke the lap record set by Valentino Rossi in 2008.
The Australian Stoner posted a best lap of 1:34.133 during the 45-minute FP1 practice session at Le Mans, 0.082 of a second quicker than Rossi’s record. Stoner has been quick all season, although he suffered a DNF at Jerez after the famed crash with Rossi; he won the opening round of MotoGP in Qatar, and placed third in Estoril two weeks ago. Stoner is currently third in the points standings.
But it wasn’t only Stoner’s Repsol Honda that was quick at the opening practice for Le Mans; taking the second and third fastest times were his teammates, Estoril’s winner Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso.
Pedrosa, who trails the MotoGP Championship Leader Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) by four points was 0.298 of a second slower than Stoner.
Posting the fourth fastest time in FP1 was yet another Honda RC212V, this one ridden by San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Marco Simoncelli. The Italian has suffered two DNFs at the last two rounds in Jerez and Portugal, but posted the quickest time at the MotoGP test the Monday after the Portuguese Grand Prix.
Taking fifth fastest was Lorenzo aboard the Yamaha Factory Racing YZF-M1, followed by the nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi on the Ducati Team GP11.
Free Practice 2 is set for later today, followed by FP3 and Qualifying on Saturday.
2011 Le Mans MotoGP: Free Practice 1 Results:
| Pos. | Num. | Rider | Nation | Team | Bike | Km/h | Time | Gap 1st/Prev. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 27 | Casey STONER | AUS | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 285.8 | 1’34.133 | |
| 2. | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 271.2 | 1’34.431 | 0.298 / 0.298 |
| 3. | 4 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 279.9 | 1’34.808 | 0.675 / 0.377 |
| 4. | 58 | Marco SIMONCELLI | ITA | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda | 276.4 | 1’35.029 | 0.896 / 0.221 |
| 5. | 1 | Jorge LORENZO | SPA | Yamaha Factory Racing | Yamaha | 276.9 | 1’35.165 | 1.032 / 0.136 |
| 6. | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 282.8 | 1’35.414 | 1.281 / 0.249 |
| 7. | 14 | Randy DE PUNIET | FRA | Pramac Racing Team | Ducati | 277.4 | 1’35.687 | 1.554 / 0.273 |
| 8. | 69 | Nicky HAYDEN | USA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 278.2 | 1’35.721 | 1.588 / 0.034 |
| 9. | 35 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | GBR | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 283.5 | 1’35.731 | 1.598 / 0.010 |
| 10. | 11 | Ben SPIES | USA | Yamaha Factory Racing | Yamaha | 286.1 | 1’35.743 | 1.610 / 0.012 |
| 11. | 5 | Colin EDWARDS | USA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 271.4 | 1’35.871 | 1.738 / 0.128 |
| 12. | 65 | Loris CAPIROSSI | ITA | Pramac Racing Team | Ducati | 269.9 | 1’36.410 | 2.277 / 0.539 |
| 13. | 7 | Hiroshi AOYAMA | JPN | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda | 280.5 | 1’36.448 | 2.315 / 0.038 |
| 14. | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | Rizla Suzuki MotoGP | Suzuki | 279.4 | 1’36.510 | 2.377 / 0.062 |
| 15. | 24 | Toni ELIAS | SPA | LCR Honda MotoGP | Honda | 270.7 | 1’36.997 | 2.864 / 0.487 |
| 16. | 8 | Hector BARBERA | SPA | Mapfre Aspar Team MotoGP | Ducati | 262.3 | 1’37.036 | 2.903 / 0.039 |
| 17. | 17 | Karel ABRAHAM | CZE | Cardion AB Motoracing | Ducati | 279.6 | 1’37.154 | 3.021 / 0.118 |
