Silvestone MotoGP: Friday FP Results

2011 MotoGP

Same results, different track. This seems to be the trend in MotoGP Free Practice sessions for one rider, Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner.

Every since he made his move from Ducati to Honda for the 2011 MotoGP Championship, the Australian has been the alpha rider. Stoner won three out of five rounds, and is easily the favorite heading into this weekend’s Silverstone MotoGP.

And although weather conditions were a mixed with both cold temperatures and rain, Stoner solidified his reason for being the favorite; he simply dominated the first two of three free practice sessions Friday.

In FP1, Stoner set the pace with a 2:03.748, followed six-tenths of a second behind by San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Marco Simoncelli, who was summoned by Race Direction last weekend due to the Le Mans MotoGP crash with Dani Pedrosa. The Spaniard Pedrosa would break his right collarbone in the crash, forcing him to miss last week’s Catalunya and this weekend’s Silverstone event (for a report, click here).

Taking the third fastest time in FP1 was Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo. Not far behind was the highest-placed Ducati rider, Nicky Hayden, with Stoner’s teammate Andrea Dovizioso rounding out the top five in Silverstone MotoGP FP1.

Weather conditions worsened for the second free practice, and although Stoner was again fastest, his time was 12 seconds slower than his FP1 times. Again second fastest in the afternoon MotoGP practice session was Simoncelli.

Hayden upped his FP1 position to third, and he was followed by the rookie at his home track in fourth, Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow. Rounding out the top five fastest MotoGP times in FP2 at Silverstone was Lorenzo.

As for nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi, the Ducati rider again struggled with the Ducati GP11’s setup, and was 12th quickest in FP1, ninth in FP2.

Another notable rider was Monster Tech 3 Yamaha’s Colin Edwards; the Texan broke his collarbone during a one-man crash while practicing for Catalunya MotoGP, but was cleared to ride this weekend at Silverstone; he finished dead last in both free practice MotoGP sessions, but just as his 141 consecutive GP starts attest, Edwards shows much dedication to the sport.

The 16-rider MotoGP grid (short Dani Pedrosa) will be on the Silverstone Circuit early Saturday for the third Free Practice session before qualifying. Check back with UltimateMotorCycling.com for updates as they become available.

2011 Silverstone MotoGP: FP1 Results

2011 Silverstone MotoGP: FP2 Results