This morning’s MotoGP first free practice at Sachsenring will go down not for Marco Simoncelli being the fastest in the opening session which has been the norm lately, but for the number of crashes at turn 11, which will no doubt cause some concern and once again bring Bridgestone in the firing line.
In the first twenty minutes of the practice, five riders crashed at the downhill right-hander at turn 11, which is the first right hander after a series of left handers The first to go down was Casey Stoner, and he was on his first out lap.
The Repsol Honda rider lost the rear of his RC212V and suffered an ugly highside, but he was able to rejoin the field and finish the session in 2nd and a little less than two tenths from SimoncelliToni Elias low sided at the same spot, as did Valentino Rossi, who got the worst as he tumbled heavily through the gravel and had to spend the better part of the practice in the Clinica Mobile with some cuts to his right arm, he was able to return to his garage with only five minutes left on the clock and finishing 14th and 1″969 off pace.
Dani Pedrosa also lost the front of his Repsol Honda at the same turn and rolled through the gravel, but seemingly escaped any further injury to his already beat up collarbones.
Elias took his second tumble, but this time it was at turn one, which left the LCR Honda rider without any bikes.
The second half of the session fortunately saw no more crashes and Jorge Lorenzo came in a close third, following Simoncelli and Stoner.
Nicky Hayden who is still using the old Ducati GP11 was much faster than usual, taking fourth and just 0.
382s adrift from the top of the time sheet, followed by Andrea Dovizioso in fifth.
Rookie Karel Abraham had another strong start taking sixth, albeit with a tow from Dovizioso, while Hector Barbera, Randy de Puniet, Ben Spies and Coin Edwards rounded out the top ten and eleven riders within 0.
781s from Simoncelli.
MotoGP Sachsenring FP1 results:01- Marco Simoncelli – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – 1’22.
82302- Casey Stoner – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 0.
18103- Jorge Lorenzo – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
22304- Nicky Hayden – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 0.
38205- Andrea Dovizioso – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 0.
53206- Karel Abraham – Cardion AB Motoracing – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 0.
59307- Hector Barbera – Mapfre Aspar Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 0.
61008- Randy De Puniet – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 0.
71109- Ben Spies – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
73510- Colin Edwards – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
77111- Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 0.
78112- Alvaro Bautista – Rizla Suzuki MotoGP – Suzuki GSV-R – + 1.
16613- Cal Crutchlow – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 1.
33914- Valentino Rossi – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11.
1 – + 1.
68915- Hiroshi Aoyama – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 1.
79716- Toni Elias – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC212V – + 3.
23717- Loris Capirossi – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 3.
511