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MotoGP
MOTOGP: Rain In Spain Dampens Friday FP
The opening day of action at the 2012 MotoGP World Championship finale was hindered by inclement weather conditions.
Ducati Team's Nicky Hayden (Photo: Dorna Communications)
PROGRAMMING NOTE: The Grand Prix of Valencia will air LIVE on SPEED on Sunday, November 11 at 8:00am ET. MotoGP QP will air LIVE on SPEED2 all season long. #MotoGPonSPEED
FP1
The first free MotoGP free practice session for the Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana saw Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden top the timesheet on a rain-hit track in front of Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo
As the rain came down at the Spanish circuit, Hayden looked a cut above the rest as he posted a time of 1.44’485, which was over one second clear of his nearest pursuer Pedrosa on board his Repsol Honda Team machine. Yamaha Factory Racing’s recently crowned World Champion Lorenzo was a further four tenths down on Pedrosa, with the pair looking set to engage in anther fierce battle come race day.
Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Andrea Dovizioso set the fourth fastest time of the morning, with his closest pursuer being San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Álvaro Bautista, who will be looking to defend fifth place in the championship this weekend. Following Bautista is surprise inclusion Aleix Espargaró on board his Power Electronics Aspar CRT machine, proving that the bike can be highly competitive in a more level wet setting.
Hayden’s teammate, Valentino Rossi, did not fare as well as the American, finishing the session seventh over two seconds off the top. He was followed by Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow, Espargaró’s teammate Randy de Puniet, and Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner. Paul Bird Motorsport’s James Ellison was and early crasher, followed by Yamaha’s replacement rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga. Both riders were unhurt in the incidents. Italian rider Claudio Corti also made his GP debut on board Avintia Blusens’ Inmotec chassis. He has also been confirmed as teammate to NGM Mobile Forward Racing’s Colin Edwards for next season.
FP2
In a second free practice session that was marred with damp and awkward track conditions at the Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana it was Power Electronics Aspar’s Randy de Puniet who went fastest ahead of Michele Pirro and Nicky Hayden.
In drying yet damp track conditions, not many of the top-runners set a lap time, leaving it to the CRT contingent to test the surface. And it was ultimately De Puniet who set the quickest time in the high 1.36s, before retiring with a mechanical issue three minutes before the end. This moved San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Michele Pirro into second place, with the Italian just over a tenth of the French rider.
Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden, who had been fastest in the fully wet morning session, left it late to head out on track on a pair of slicks, as the leading duo had, and managed to jump up to third on the timesheets. Cardion AB Racing’s Karel Abraham put in seven laps on his satellite Ducati, ultimately ending the day in fourth just over eight-tenths off the top.
Hayden’s teammate, Valentino Rossi, was the first prototype to emerge out on track with slicks, yet took it relatively easy, before putting in a lap that saw him come in fifth. Came IodaRacing Project’s Danilo Petrucci will be pleased to see his name in sixth on the time chart, with the Italian seemingly finding a good rhythm with his Suter-BMW machine.
Behind him in seventh, Avintia Blusens’ Iván Silva was the first man out on track in difficult conditions, and was leading much of the session when still on wet tyres. Continuing the theme of CRT bikes in the top ten, Speed Master’s Roberto Rolfo finished the day in eighth place, ahead of Paul Bird Motorsport’s James Ellison and Avintia’s Hiroshi Aoyama.
Yamaha Factory Racing’s World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, as well as the Repsol Honda Team duo of Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner were among those not to complete a flying lap, with very little to be learned in such conditions.
FP1
The first free MotoGP free practice session for the Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana saw Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden top the timesheet on a rain-hit track in front of Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo
As the rain came down at the Spanish circuit, Hayden looked a cut above the rest as he posted a time of 1.44’485, which was over one second clear of his nearest pursuer Pedrosa on board his Repsol Honda Team machine. Yamaha Factory Racing’s recently crowned World Champion Lorenzo was a further four tenths down on Pedrosa, with the pair looking set to engage in anther fierce battle come race day.
Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Andrea Dovizioso set the fourth fastest time of the morning, with his closest pursuer being San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Álvaro Bautista, who will be looking to defend fifth place in the championship this weekend. Following Bautista is surprise inclusion Aleix Espargaró on board his Power Electronics Aspar CRT machine, proving that the bike can be highly competitive in a more level wet setting.
Hayden’s teammate, Valentino Rossi, did not fare as well as the American, finishing the session seventh over two seconds off the top. He was followed by Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow, Espargaró’s teammate Randy de Puniet, and Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner. Paul Bird Motorsport’s James Ellison was and early crasher, followed by Yamaha’s replacement rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga. Both riders were unhurt in the incidents. Italian rider Claudio Corti also made his GP debut on board Avintia Blusens’ Inmotec chassis. He has also been confirmed as teammate to NGM Mobile Forward Racing’s Colin Edwards for next season.
FP2
In a second free practice session that was marred with damp and awkward track conditions at the Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana it was Power Electronics Aspar’s Randy de Puniet who went fastest ahead of Michele Pirro and Nicky Hayden.
In drying yet damp track conditions, not many of the top-runners set a lap time, leaving it to the CRT contingent to test the surface. And it was ultimately De Puniet who set the quickest time in the high 1.36s, before retiring with a mechanical issue three minutes before the end. This moved San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Michele Pirro into second place, with the Italian just over a tenth of the French rider.
Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden, who had been fastest in the fully wet morning session, left it late to head out on track on a pair of slicks, as the leading duo had, and managed to jump up to third on the timesheets. Cardion AB Racing’s Karel Abraham put in seven laps on his satellite Ducati, ultimately ending the day in fourth just over eight-tenths off the top.
Hayden’s teammate, Valentino Rossi, was the first prototype to emerge out on track with slicks, yet took it relatively easy, before putting in a lap that saw him come in fifth. Came IodaRacing Project’s Danilo Petrucci will be pleased to see his name in sixth on the time chart, with the Italian seemingly finding a good rhythm with his Suter-BMW machine.
Behind him in seventh, Avintia Blusens’ Iván Silva was the first man out on track in difficult conditions, and was leading much of the session when still on wet tyres. Continuing the theme of CRT bikes in the top ten, Speed Master’s Roberto Rolfo finished the day in eighth place, ahead of Paul Bird Motorsport’s James Ellison and Avintia’s Hiroshi Aoyama.
Yamaha Factory Racing’s World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, as well as the Repsol Honda Team duo of Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner were among those not to complete a flying lap, with very little to be learned in such conditions.
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