2012 Valencia MotoGP Free Practice 1 Results

The final round of the 2012 MotoGP Championship got underway Friday with wet conditions at Valencia, the fourth circuit on Spanish soil.

2011 MotoGP

Indianapolis Motor Speedway has continually been a proven ground for Yamaha Factory Racing team riders Ben Spies and Jorge Lorenzo.

While competing on the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha M1 in his debut season, Ben Spies took his first-ever MotoGP pole at Indy last year, following it up with that season’s best finish, second.

2011 MotoGP

Spoiler Alert: 2011 MotoGP Brno results posted below

Following his first podium of the 2011 MotoGP Championship, Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa began strongly Sunday at Brno, getting a quick start typical of the Spaniard.

But by the end of the first lap, the reigning MotoGP Champion Jorge Lorenzo was in the lead, stalked closely by Pedrosa.

2011 MotoGP

The reigning champ returned to his winning ways during Free Practice 2 at Laguna Seca Friday for Round 10 of the 2011 MotoGP Champion.

2011 MotoGP

Casey Stoner kicked off the 2011 Red Bull USGP round in top form during Free Practice 1 Friday after piloting his Repsol Honda to a 1:22.300 around the shortest circuit on the MotoGP circuit, Laguna Seca.

Stoner’s time was a second slower than the Laguna Seca circuit record that the Australian set in the 2010 MotoGP Championship (1:21.376).

Spoiler Alert: Sachsenring MotoGP results below

For the 14th year, MotoGP took on the Sachsenring circuit in Germany, the second shortest track (2.281 miles) besides Laguna Seca.

2011 MotoGP

Valentino Rossi was garnering much attention due to his debut on the updated Ducati GP11.1 at Assen MotoGP this past weekend.

Spoiler Alert: 2011 Assen TT MotoGP results below

2011 MotoGP

Although rain plagued the MotoGP free practice sessions and qualifying at Assen TT, wet conditions didn’t affect the legendary Cathedral when the 26-lap race started.

And though the skies remained gloomy with overcast, one American’s emotions were anything but gloomy – Ben Spies.

2011 MotoGP

For the second time since Catalunya MotoGP, San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Marco Simoncelli will start from the pole position.

The Italian edged out Yamaha Factory Racing’s Ben Spies Friday at Assen qualifying by a mere 0.009 of a second, with the current MotoGP points’ leader, Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner, a further 0.290 of a second behind Simoncelli.

2011 MotoGP Wallpaper

The Silverstone MotoGP weekend was dominated by one man, and one man only – Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner.

During Friday’s practice sessions, the Australian began lapping faster than last year’s track records, and continued the pace throughout qualifying and Sunday’s extremely wet race.

2011 MotoGP Injury

Last weekend, rookie-MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow missed his home race in Silverstone due to breaking his left collarbone during qualifying.

2011 MotoGP

One man simply dominated the entire Silverstone MotoGP weekend – Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner.

During Friday’s practice sessions, the Australian began lapping faster than last year’s track records, and continued the pace throughout qualifying and Sunday’s extremely wet race.

2011 MotoGP

Two out of the three Americans currently competing in MotoGP finished Sunday’s wet race at Silverstone, with one putting aside pain for a podium finish.

MotoGP

Spoiler Alert: 2011 Silverstone MotoGP results below.

The conditions for Sunday’s MotoGP round in Silvestone were very similar to Jerez – extremely slippery due to rain.

But the results were not even close to Jerez round.

2011 MotoGP

When the third and final practice session was complete, Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner had scored another trifecta.

The Australian swapped the lead time with San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Marco Simoncelli, but towards the end of FP3 Stoner posted a 2:03.487, which remained the top time.