Today’s MotoGP free practice at Assen, in almost perfect weather conditions, saw a Friday duel between Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner on who would post the fastest time.
Both riders began knocking off tenths of second in all their practice runs, however it was last week’s winner a Silverstone, Jorge Lorenzo, who on hard tires, and a fantastic four lap run came out on top with a best lap of 1′35″169 and pipping Stoner by just 0.
011s.
For the moment Lorenzo and Stoner are playing another game, because Nicky Haden who took third was more than 5 tenths off the top.
Colin Edwards who wants to break the jinx that’s been plaguing him this season was fourth and just 0.
013s from his fellow countryman.
Repsol Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa were fifth and sixth, and as usual the Honda duo are hard to read especially in the first practice.
Aleix Espargaro had a good session finishing seventh and Ben Spies who got a third place podium last Sunday took eighth (Spies won a breathtaking SBK race 1 at Assen last year) Both riders were very, very close to Dani Pedrosa.
Team Gresini’s Marco Simoncelli and Marco Melandri, who ran high up as fifth during the practice, concluded the session in ninth and tenth respectively.
MotoGP Assen FP1 Results:01- Jorge Lorenzo – Fiat Yamaha Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – 1′35.
16902- Casey Stoner – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – + 0.
01103- Nicky Hayden – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – + 0.
51704- Colin Edwards – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
53005- Andrea Dovizioso – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 0.
69906- Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 0.
75307- Aleix Espargaro – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – + 0.
75808- Ben Spies – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
77309- Marco Simoncelli – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 0.
83310- Marco Melandri – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 1.
10011- Randy De Puniet – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC212V – + 1.
12512- Hector Barbera – Paginas Amarillas Aspar – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – + 1.
56613- Loris Capirossi – Rizla Suzuki MotoGP – Suzuki GSV-R – + 1.
61714- Mika Kallio – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – + 2.
09215- Alvaro Bautista – Rizla Suzuki MotoGP – Suzuki GSV-R – + 2.
21516- Kousuke Akiyoshi – Interwetten Honda MotoGP – Honda RC212V – + 6.
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