Fiat Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo made good on his vow to come out fighting by topping the first practice session on a wet, cold, and windy day at Phillip Island.
Lorenzo had to ride somewhat conservatively in pursuit of the world championship. But once he clinched it with a third place finish last weekend in Sepang, the Spaniard said all bets were off.
Today he was fastest from very early in the session, which was delayed two hours by standing water on the track, mostly in the final corner. Heavy rains that began overnight abated during the day, but continued well into the afternoon.
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MotoGP: Australian Grand Prix - First Practice Results
Lorenzo started fast and gradually lowered his time throughout the session to end at 1:41.146 mins. Cycle News
Lorenzo was 0.334 seconds quicker than Australian Casey Stoner (1:41.480), who is bidding for his fourth consecutive home MotoGP success riding his Ducati on Sunday.
Stoner’s American teammate Nicky Hayden was third-fastest, 0.485secs down, with 1:41.631.
Seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi was seventh best with 1:42.626, some 1.480secs slower than his Yamaha teammate Lorenzo. AFP
Rookie Marco Simoncelli was fourth for San Carlo Honda Gresini.
Team-mate Marco Melandri, who won the first ‘bike-swap’ MotoGP race at Phillip Island in 2006, was the final rider within one-second of Lorenzo.
Repsol Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso - runner-up at the last two rounds - was sixth, while team-mate and former title contender Dani Pedrosa, returning to MotoGP action exactly two weeks after fracturing his collarbone at Motegi, lapped a cautious ten seconds off the pace before calling it a day before the halfway mark.
Colin Edwards (Tech 3) , Randy de Puniet (Honda LCR) and Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) completed the top ten.
Mika Kallio, riding in what looks like being his last MotoGP event before being replaced by Carlos Checa for the last two rounds, recorded the eleventh best time for Pramac Ducati. Yahoo! Eurosport UK
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