The opening practice session for the German Grand Prix was held at the Sachsenring today with most of the focus on the return of World Champion Valentino Rossi, the Fiat Yamaha rider who suffered a broken lower leg six weeks ago in practice for the Italian Grand Prix. And it looks like Rossi will be just fine, the Italian ending the first session in seventh.
At the top of the timesheets, meanwhile, was Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa, the Spaniard putting in his best lap on his final lap - a 1:22.521.
That put him .274 of a second faster than Marlboro Ducati’s Casey Stoner.
Nicky Hayden ended today’s opening one-hour session third, the Marlboro Ducati rider .462 of a second down on Pedrosa’s best. Cycle News
Ben Spies (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) took the best part of the session to feel his way around the track and survived a run-off at turn 10 a quarter of the way into the session, but towards the end he posted an impressive time of 1’23.189 to place fourth. Another rookie in the shape of Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini) completed the top five.
In sixth and at +0.703s down on Pedrosa was Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo, with the Fiat Yamaha rider timing in with a best effort of 1’23.224, just two-hundredths off Simoncelli. Rossi, making his return to great fanfare, completed 29 laps in total, and was only 0.02s off his team-mate’s time.
Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) overcame a dramatic moment with the front end of his bike early on, controlling his RC212V admirably in the midst of a big wobble to go on and lap eighth fastest. Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini) and Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) completed the top ten. Motogp.com
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