Sunday, August 31, 2008

Stoner still on top in final practice

Reigning champion Casey Stoner, after topping yesterday's sessions, also topped the third and final practice outing ahead today's qualifying for the San Marino MotoGP at Misano.

The Ducati Malboro rider further improved on yesterday's time with a 1:34.365, putting him 0.711 seconds ahead of championship leader Valentino Rossi on Fiat Yamaha.

Rossi's teammate Jorge Lorenzo ended up third fastest, eight hundrendths further back, followed by Chris Vermeulen's Rizla Suzuki, almost one second behind fellow Australian Stoner.

Tech 3 Yamaha's Colin Edwards was fifth fastest, ahead of Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa and Suzuki's Loris Capirossi.

A host of customer Hondas then followed, with the Gresini entries of Shinya Nakano and Alex de Angelis separated by Randy de Puniet (LCR) in ninth, with Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Team Scot) in eleventh.

John Hopkins, who did not take part in practice yesterday after his Brno injury worsened on Thursday, was back this morning. He set the slowest time of the day, ending up almost four tenths behind his Kawasaki teammate Anthony West and three seconds behind Stoner.

Pos Rider Bike Time 1. Casey Stoner Ducati 1:34.365 2. Valentino Rossi Yamaha 1:35.076 + 0.711 3. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha 1:35.160 + 0.795 4. Chris Vermeulen Suzuki 1:35.362 + 0.997 5. Colin Edwards Yamaha 1:35.425 + 1.060 6. Daniel Pedrosa Honda 1:35.520 + 1.155 7. Loris Capirossi Suzuki 1:35.534 + 1.169 8. Shinya Nakano Honda 1:35.549 + 1.184 9. Randy de Puniet Honda 1:35.628 + 1.263 10. Alex de Angelis Honda 1:35.739 + 1.374 11. Andrea Dovizioso Honda 1:35.802 + 1.437 12. Toni Elias Ducati 1:35.853 + 1.488 13. James Toseland Yamaha 1:36.047 + 1.682 14. Sylvain Guintoli Ducati 1:36.089 + 1.724 15. Nicky Hayden Honda 1:36.203 + 1.838 16. Marco Melandri Ducati 1:36.273 + 1.908 17. Anthony West Kawasaki 1:36.957 + 2.592 18. John Hopkins Kawasaki 1:37.346 + 2.981

  • Abay dominates second Croft practice
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  • Stoner beats Rossi in Brno warm-up
  • Perez quickest in practice at Croft
  • Dovizioso tops wet Donington practice
  • MotoGP: Edwards tops Le Mans warm-up
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