Silverstone MotoGP: Stoner Tops Friday FP

2012 MotoGP Friday Practice Results

As expected, the 20-rider grid (minus a rider) woke up to rain Friday at Silverstone for the first free practice of the British Grand Prix.

And the man who always impresses during wet conditions, Ducati Team’s Valentino Rossi, led the first practice with a best lap of 2:19.328. The nine-time World Champion was followed 0.077 of a second back by teammate Nicky Hayden.

But following FP1, the 3.666-mile Silverstone circuit began to dry, just ahead of the second and final practice of Friday – FP2. And once the riders got onto the track, it was a very familiar name up front – Casey Stoner.

The Repsol Honda rider, who finished seventh quickest in FP1, would post a 2:04.791 towards the end of the second free practice when the track was drying out.

But not far behind the reigning MotoGP Champion was a man who struggled up to this weekend’s sixth round at Silverstone – Yamaha Factory Racing’s Ben Spies. The Texan, who crashed during the wet FP1, trailed Stoner by only 0.037 of a second.

Another rider who crashed during the wet morning session was San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista. But like Spies, the Spaniard recovered well, and was able to post the third-quickest time of 2:04.995 aboard the satellite Honda RC213V, the time 0.204 of a second slower than Stoner.

Hayden would finish fourth, followed by LCR Honda MotoGP’s Stefan Bradl, who was 0.6 of a second behind Stoner. Taking the fifth-seventh spots were three Yamaha YZR-M1 prototypes – Monster Tech 3’s Andrea Dovizioso, who finished third at Catalunya two weeks ago, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo, who won at Catalunya, and home-favorite Cal Crutchlow, respectively.

Crutchlow was 0.783 of a second behind Stoner, and was the last rider to post within a second of the leader.

Stoner’s teammate Dani Pedrosa finished ninth fastest, 1.095 seconds behind. Pramac Racing Ducati’s Hector Barbera took the 10th fastest time, and Rossi the 11th; Rossi was the last prototype to finish due to the absence of Cardion AB Racing Ducati’s Karel Abraham, who was declared unfit to race this weekend due to hand injuries sustained while testing.

Taking the top CRT time was Power Electronics Aspar’s Randy de Puniet; the Frenchman posted a 2:07.893, 3.102 of a second behind Stoner.

The riders will return to the Silverstone circuit Saturday morning for the third and final free practice session ahead of qualifying for Sunday’s British Grand Prix.

2012 Silverstone MotoGP: Free Practice One Results:

2012 Silverstone MotoGP: Free Practice Two Results: