Rossi leads at Laguna

From motogp.com

In perfect conditions at the Laguna Seca circuit on Friday afternoon, with blue skies, Californian sunshine and temperatures of 24°C, the MotoGP riders got the eighth race weekend of the year underway – the World Champion Valentino Rossi putting down the fastest time late in FP1.

The current MotoGP ‘big three’ were on top again as the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix commenced, Rossi followed on the timesheet by his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo and Ducati’s Casey Stoner.

Rossi’s 1:21.981 lap around the shortest track on the MotoGP calendar, on the last of his 32 laps, was enough to put him 0.112 secs. ahead of the young pretender to his crown Lorenzo. A first lap crasher in the 2008 race on his Laguna Seca debut, Lorenzo will aim to put the memories of last year’s contest behind him and already looks comfortable around the picturesque American track.

Stoner was just 0.189 secs. down on Rossi’s pace himself as he tested his condition following the severe exhaustion he has experienced in recent weeks. The 2007 Laguna race-winning Australian is out for revenge over Rossi this weekend following their epic 2008 battle which Rossi won in such style.

In fourth place was Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa. The Spanish rider is still fighting back to 100 per cent fitness this weekend, although he is already in far better shape than last year when he went home after the Friday practices due to injuries he sustained at Sachsenring.

There was a good start to the weekend for San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Toni Elías, who immediately benefitted from the introduction of the new chassis on the Honda RC212V to lap fifth quickest.

Italian pair Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) and Marco Melandri (Hayate Racing) were sixth and seventh, respectively 0.899 secs. and 1.159 secs. down on the pace.

Rizla Suzuki’s Chris Vermeulen crashed at the beginning of the session but soon got back out on track to complete 27 laps in total and still managed to go round eighth fastest.

Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini) rounded out the top 10, while Edwards’ compatriot Nicky Hayden made a sluggish start to his American Ducati debut in 14th place.

Friday Practice Times
1. Valentino ROSSI (ITA) Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1:21.981 (262.901 km/h)
2. Jorge LORENZO (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha +0.112
3. Casey STONER (AUS) Ducati Team Ducati +0.189
4. Dani PEDROSA (SPA) Repsol Honda Team Honda +0.656
5. Toni ELIAS (SPA) San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda +0.701
6. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (ITA) Repsol Honda Team Honda +0.899
7. Marco MELANDRI (ITA) Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki +1.159
8. Chris VERMEULEN (AUS) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki +1.236
9. Colin EDWARDS (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha +1.304
10. Alex DE ANGELIS (RSM) San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda +1.425
11. Randy DE PUNIET (FRA) LCR Honda MotoGP Honda +1.458
12. Loris CAPIROSSI (ITA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki +1.656
13. James TOSELAND (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha +1.709
14. Nicky HAYDEN (USA) Ducati Team Ducati +1.766
15. Sete GIBERNAU (SPA) Grupo Francisco Hernando Ducati +2.552
16. Gabor TALMACSI (HUN) Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda +2.945
17. Niccolo CANEPA (ITA) Pramac Racing Ducati +3.530