Late surge puts Rossi on top

From motogp.com

Valentino Rossi was quicker than Casey Stoner on Friday in Japan. That was the result that everyone was awaiting after the latter’s dominance in Qatar, but the Italian’s fightback doesn’t tell the whole story of the first free practice session for the Polini Grand Prix of Japan.

The reigning World Champion and 2008 race winner left his final push to the last possible moment, cutting more than half a second off his previous best time in the session to edge out the current series leader. The Italian stopped the clock at 1:48.545 to bring an end to Stoner’s perfect record in practice, qualifying and warmup sessions in 2009.

Ducati Marlboro man Stoner threw himself into the challenge with an early 1:48.601 lap of the Twin Ring Motegi circuit, but elected to return to the garage instead of returning fire once Rossi had taken the advantage.

Rossi’s Fiat Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo had expressed his desire to record times closer to those of Stoner in the run-up to Japan and, like Rossi, his ultimate lap was also his most effective. The Spaniard was the final rider to go round in under 1:49.

Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi showed that Rizla Suzuki’s efforts to improve the GSV-R over the winter had been something of a success, both in the top six at a track that did not go well for the duo in 2008. They sandwiched satellite Yamaha rider Colin Edwards on the timesheet, while the top 10 also included fastest Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso, Hayate Racing surprise Marco Melandri, 2007 podium finisher Toni Elías and Monster Tech3 Yamaha’s James Toseland.

Home rider Yuki Takahashi ran off track in the session, while fellow rookie Mika Kallio had a spectacular highside –from which he returned to action during the 45-minute run.

Practice Results
1. V. ROSSI (ITA) Fiat Yamaha Team 1:48.545
2. C. STONER (AUS) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.056
3. J. LORENZO (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team +0.420
4. C. VERMEULEN (AUS) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP +0.837
5. C. EDWARDS (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 +1.152
6. L. CAPIROSSI (ITA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP +1.435
7. A. DOVIZIOSO (ITA) Repsol Honda Team +1.485
8. M. MELANDRI (ITA) Hayate Racing Team +1.578
9. T. ELIAS (SPA) San Carlo Honda Gresini +1.664
10. J. TOSELAND (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 +1.797
11. D. PEDROSA (SPA) Repsol Honda Team +1.846
12. N. HAYDEN (USA) Ducati Marlboro Team +1.848
13. Y. TAKAHASHI (JPN) Scot Racing Team MotoGP +1.859
14. S. GIBERNAU (SPA) Grupo Francisco Hernando +1.993
15. A. DE ANGELIS (RSM) San Carlo Honda Gresini +2.056
16. R. DE PUNIET (FRA) LCR Honda MotoGP +2.124
17. M. KALLIO (FIN) Pramac Racing +3.098
18. N. CANEPA (ITA) Pramac Racing +3.384