After yesterday’s wet FP2, this morning at Silverstone, the MotoGP riders found some glorious sunny weather that saw Casey Stoner lead the field, only that the others started to catch up especially Marco Simoncelli.
The Italian headed the timesheets in the final minutes of the session which forced the Repsol Honda rider to put in a final fast lap and re-take the top spot and leave the Gresini rider two tenths adrift, but the Australian would have been even faster if Nicky Hayden didn’t baulk him and get one Stoner’s now well known reactions.
Ben Spies was third and ahead of his team mate and reigning World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, while Cal Crutchlow brought in another Yamaha M1 into the top five and only two tenths slower than the factory riders.
Andrea Dovizioso took the sixth spot and he was the last rider within a second from the seemingly unstoppable Stoner.
Nicky Hayden was seventh and 1.
7 seconds off pace and the first and only Ducati in the top ten, while team mate Valentino Rossi is in back field hell.
The Italian is mired down in 14th and nearly three seconds slower and almost eight tenths slower than the amazing 10th placed Colin Edwards, who broke his collarbone just eight days ago.
MotoGP Silverstone FP3 results.
01- Casey Stoner – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – 2’03.
48702- Marco Simoncelli – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 0.
23303- Ben Spies – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
45504- Jorge Lorenzo – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
61205- Cal Crutchlow – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
82706- Andrea Dovizioso – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 0.
88507- Nicky Hayden – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 1.
76308- Alvaro Bautista – Rizla Suzuki MotoGP – Suzuki GSV-R – + 2.
00909- Hiroshi Aoyama – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 2.
08310- Colin Edwards – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 2.
10211- Randy De Puniet – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 2.
29312- Karel Abraham – Cardion AB Motoracing – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 2.
38513- Hector Barbera – Mapfre Aspar Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 2.
49314- Valentino Rossi – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 2.
94915- Toni Elias – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC212V – + 3.
24016- Loris Capirossi – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 3.
888