2012 San Marino Grand Prix Friday Practice Results
Only 13 MotoGP riders participated in Friday’s free practice sessions due to intermittent rain showers plaguing the San Marino region.
Some of the notable riders that didn’t head out on the 2.626-mile Misano circuit that will host round 13 of the 2013 MotoGP Championship Sunday were the current points leader, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo, and the man who trails him by 13 points, Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa.
Ducati Team’s Valentino Rossi and Monster Tech 3 Yamaha’s Andrea Dovizioso attempted to ride, but only performed one untimed lap each.
But when the free practice sessions were completed for the San Marino Grand Prix, Cardion AB Racing Ducati’s Karel Abraham was the fastest, the Czech posting a 1:42.030 in the afternoon session (free practice 2). To put this time into perspective, the circuit record at Misano is a 1:33.906, which was posted by Lorenzo last season, the final year of the 800cc era.
Taking the second fastest time Friday was Came Ioda Racing Team’s Danilo Petrucci, the Italian taking the top CRT time aboard his new Ioda-Suter bike. Petrucci was 1.148 seconds behind Abraham’s Ducati GP12.
Third fastest Friday was Paul Bird Motorsport’s James Ellison on the Aprilia-powered CRT; Ellison finished 1.174 seconds behind Abraham.
San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Michele Pirro took fourth spot on his FTR-Honda CRT, putting in the laps in front of his home crowd much to their delight on the rainy day. Fifth place went to Avintia Blusens’ Yonny Hernandez, who was caught out by the track half way through the second session as he lost the front and crashed out, MotoGP says.
The man making his MotoGP debut this weekend, World Superbike rider Jonathan Rea, finished the day in sixth, 2.969 seconds behind Abraham. Rea, the substitute for the injured Casey Stoner on the Repsol Honda RC213V, was followed by Avintia Blusens’ David Salom.
Yamaha Factory Racing’s Ben Spies was eighth fastest, the Texan only performing a few laps before heading back into the pits. Rounding out the top 10 were Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden and Power Electronics Aspar’s Randy de Puniet.
The 21-rider grid will return to the Misano circuit Saturday for another free practice session ahead of qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
2012 Misano Grand Prix Friday Practice Results (Combined Free Practice 1 & 2):
1. Karel ABRAHAM, Cardion AB Motoracing: 1’42.030 (FP2)
2. Danilo PETRUCCI, CAME IodaRacing Project: 1’43.178 (FP1) – 1.148
3. James ELLISON, Paul Bird Motorsport: 1’43.204 (FP2) – 1.174
4. Michele PIRRO, San Carlo Honda Gresini: 1’43.327 (FP1) – 1.297
5. Yonny HERNANDEZ, Avintia Blusens: 1’44.565 (FP2) – 2.535
6. Jonathan REA, Repsol Honda: 1’44.999 (FP2) – 2.969
7. David SALOM, Avintia Blusens: 1’46.351 (FP2) – 4.321
8. Ben SPIES, Yamaha Factory Racing: 1’46.471 (FP2) – 4.441
9. Nicky HAYDEN, Ducati Team: 1’48.409 (FP1) – 6.379
10. Randy DE PUNIET, Power Electronics Aspar: 1’50.103 (FP2) -2.327