Repsol Honda's Casey Stoner topped the timing sheets on day one of the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya, setting the quickest times in both the first and second practice sessions of the day. He set a fastest time of 1’42.940 in the latter part of the second practice. San Carlo Honda Gresini rider Marco Simoncelli followed Stoner’s lead, finishing behind the Australian in both sessions with his fastest time 0.528s behind Stoner.
Andrea Dovizioso of the Repsol Honda team nicked a last minute third place away from Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing) in the last minutes of FP2.
The Yamaha Factory Racing riders were third and fourth quickest, with reigning World Champion and current points leader Jorge Lorenzo producing a fourth fastest time of 1’43.810, followed by Texan teammate Ben Spies just 0.207 seconds behind the Spaniard.
Colin Edwards landed the sixth spot during the second session of the day, but later crashed and sustained a broken right collarbone. Fellow Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Cal Crutchlow finished behind Edwards in seventh.
Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) was the quickest Ducati in both sessions, finishing in eighth overall while teammate Valentino Rossi completed the day with the ninth fastest time. Both Ducati machines were behind the fastest lap set by Stoner in the second session by 1.859s and 1.904s respectively.
Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini) ended his day in tenth place, unable to better his FP1 time of 1’45.332.
Randy de Puniet (Pramac Racing), who had seen his name at the top of the timing during the rainy second practice session, finished thirteenth with a time of 1’46.126. Álvaro Bautista’s return to full fitness continued with the 11th best time on the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R machine, whilst home rider Toni Elías (LCR Honda) was 12th.
[Press Release and Photo Courtesy of the MotoGP]
