2011 MotoGP
Following the live timing at the first free practice session for Mugello, Round 8 of the 2011 MotoGP Championship, it looked as if it’d be another top run from Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner.
But during the last minute of a dry FP1, San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Marco Simoncelli stole the top lap time, posting a 1:48:987. The Italian just beat out Stoner by 0.040 of a second, with Stoner’s teammate Andrea Dovizioso 0.101 back at Mugello.
The crowd favorite, Ducati Team’s Valentino Rossi, had mechanical failure on his GP11.1, and was assisted by Mugello track marshals as they pushed the bike into the pits.
Following the three Honda RC212Vs was the Yamaha Factory Riding duo of Jorge Lorenzo and last week’s Assen winner, Ben Spies. Lorenzo set a 1:49.252 aboard the M1, with Spies only a tenth of a second behind.
Another Yamaha followed, this one piloted by Spies’ fellow Texan Colin Edwards.. The Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider beat out Dani Pedrosa, who returns after a three-race haitus due to the collarbone he broke in the controversial crash with Simoncelli at Le Mans. Last year Pedrosa dominated Mugello, leading every lap from the pole position.
Eight quickest was Rossi’s Ducati MotoGP teammate Nikcy Hayden. Rounding out the top ten were Hiroshi Aoyama, who returns to his San Carlo Honda Gresini after substituting for Pedrosa last week in Assen, and Rizla Suzuki’s Alvaro Bautista.
Although Pedrosa returns, the grid is still lacking a rider, Pramac Racing Ducati’s Loris Capirossi. The Italian fractured some ribs in an Assen crash.
2011 Mugello MotoGP: Free Practice 1 Results:
| Pos. | Num. | Rider | Nation | Team | Bike | Km/h | Time | Gap 1st/Prev. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 58 | Marco SIMONCELLI | ITA | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda | 327.7 | 1’48.987 | |
| 2. | 27 | Casey STONER | AUS | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 326.9 | 1’49.027 | 0.040 / 0.040 |
| 3. | 4 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 330.8 | 1’49.088 | 0.101 / 0.061 |
| 4. | 1 | Jorge LORENZO | SPA | Yamaha Factory Racing | Yamaha | 325.1 | 1’49.251 | 0.264 / 0.163 |
| 5. | 11 | Ben SPIES | USA | Yamaha Factory Racing | Yamaha | 324.0 | 1’49.364 | 0.377 / 0.113 |
| 6. | 5 | Colin EDWARDS | USA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 322.1 | 1’49.810 | 0.823 / 0.446 |
| 7. | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 324.2 | 1’50.104 | 1.117 / 0.294 |
| 8. | 69 | Nicky HAYDEN | USA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 325.2 | 1’50.203 | 1.216 / 0.099 |
| 9. | 7 | Hiroshi AOYAMA | JPN | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda | 324.4 | 1’50.629 | 1.642 / 0.426 |
| 10. | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | Rizla Suzuki MotoGP | Suzuki | 325.2 | 1’50.658 | 1.671 / 0.029 |
| 11. | 35 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | GBR | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 320.6 | 1’50.683 | 1.696 / 0.025 |
| 12. | 14 | Randy DE PUNIET | FRA | Pramac Racing Team | Ducati | 321.6 | 1’50.729 | 1.742 / 0.046 |
| 13. | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 324.2 | 1’50.780 | 1.793 / 0.051 |
| 14. | 8 | Hector BARBERA | SPA | Mapfre Aspar Team MotoGP | Ducati | 327.8 | 1’51.153 | 2.166 / 0.373 |
| 15. | 24 | Toni ELIAS | SPA | LCR Honda MotoGP | Honda | 325.5 | 1’51.868 | 2.881 / 0.715 |
| 16. | 17 | Karel ABRAHAM | CZE | Cardion AB Motoracing | Ducati | 322.9 | 1’51.876 | 2.889 / 0.008 |
