This morning’s MotoGP free practice 3 at the Mugello circuit saw a marked changed in the weather with sunny skies and cooler temperatures and it was Jorge Lorenzo who set the hottest lap on his penultimate run posted a blazing 1.
48.
080 which was inside Valentino Rossi’s 2008 pole record (on qualifying tires) and leaving Marco Simoncelli in second and more than three tenths adrift.
Casey Stoner who is nursing a sore neck was third doing with very few but effective laps and he was followed by Ben Spies and Yamaha Tech3’s Colin Edwards.
The Texan was the last rider to be within a second from Lorenzo.
The sixth spot went to Honda Repsol’s Andrea Dovizioso, unable to improve from yesterday’s morning session.
Nicky Hayden had a hairy moment and almost caught lunch for the Ducati hospitality when a hare ran across the track right in front of him, the Kentucky Kid finished in 7th and head of his team mate Valentino Rossi.
The Italian who is as usual sporting a special helmet design for his home race; an enormous replica of one of his baby blue eyes just above the visor, the Italian tricolor and his dogs, after yesterday’s electric and electronic issues on both his GP11.
1s managed an eighth spot, but was a massive 1.
8o9s off pace.
Randy de Puniet grabbed ninth and he was followed by Alvaro Bautista, who closed out the top ten, while Dani Pedrosa who is recovering from two surgeries dropped from yesterday’s 7th spot to 12th and he too like his Italian team mate was unable to improve his lap times.
MotoGP Mugello FP3 results:01- Jorge Lorenzo – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – 1’48.
08002- Marco Simoncelli – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 0.
33103- Casey Stoner – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 0.
65404- Ben Spies – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
99205- Colin Edwards – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
99806- Andrea Dovizioso – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 1.
05207- Nicky Hayden – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 1.
67608- Valentino Rossi – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11.
1 – + 1.
80909- Randy De Puniet – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 1.
90510- Alvaro Bautista – Rizla Suzuki MotoGP – Suzuki GSV-R – + 1.
91411- Cal Crutchlow – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 1.
92212- Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 2.
21613- Karel Abraham – Cardion AB Motoracing – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 2.
90614- Hiroshi Aoyama – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 2.
93115- Toni Elias – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC212V – + 2.
96316- Hector Barbera – Mapfre Aspar Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 3.
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