The MotoGP riders got a chance to test out the newly paved Mugello circuit in both dry and wet conditions today. The first free practice session was run in dry conditions, but by the time FP2 rolled around, a light rain had come in over Italy.
Marco Simoncelli led the way during the first free practice session. Simoncelli sat behind Casey Stoner on the time sheets for the majority of the first free practice session, but the Honda Gresini rider was able to take the top spot on his last lap of the session. Simoncelli set a 1’48.987 lap time around the Mugello circuit.
Simoncelli was the only rider to dip below 1’49, but Stoner was less than .1 seconds behind. Stoner finished the day with a 1’49.027 lap time.
Andrea Dovizioso was also toying with the 1’49 barrier during the first free practice session. Dovizioso finished just a tenth of a second off of Simoncelli’s pace.
Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies completed the top five, while 6th place rider Colin Edwards was the final rider to finish within a second of Simoncelli’s pace.
The second free practice session was a difficult one for the MotoGP riders. The track was wet, but not wet enough to warrant rain tires. The track was wet enough, however, to keep the MotoGP riders from pushing their lap times. Four MotoGP riders decided that FP2 wasn’t worth their time. Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner, Marco Simoncelli, and Jorge Lorenzo all decided to sit out the second free practice session.
Colin Edwards and Ben Spies headed out onto the track for FP2, but decided to call it a day after just a few laps.
Andrea Dovizioso set the fastest time in the wet. Dovizioso was followed by Toni Elias and Valentino Rossi during FP2.
MotoGP - FP1 Results - Mugello
- Simoncelli
- Stoner
- Dovizioso
- Lorenzo
- Spies
- Edwards
- Pedrosa
- Hayden
- Aoyoma
- Bautista
