PINKS All Out • 8:00pm
speed_staff's avatar
Rate this article:
  • 0/5 Stars
SPEEDtv.com Store
IndyCar Vintage White Logo Tee
100% washed cotton. Features Indy wings and wheel logo printed with special distressed look. Cool vintage tees!
Our Price: $22.00 ($19.80 Member)
Visit Button
Buy Button
Ferrari Red Classic Hat
Ferrari racing shield embroidered on front and Ferrari branding on back adjuster strap with shield embossed metal closure.
Our Price: $29.00 ($26.10 Member)
Visit Button
Buy Button
Formula 1 2009 Calendar
Every month is accompanied by a superb action shot from the 2008 season, with essential information about the sport.
Our Price: $16.95 ($15.26 Member)
Visit Button
Buy Button
MOTOGP: Rossi Fastest, Lorenzo Crashes Hard
Written by: SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com   
Shanghai, China
 
Fiat Yamaha Team's Valentino Rossi (Photo: Yamaha Racing) ยป More Photos

Valentino Rossi´s morning lap of 1´59.906 was enough to take the early advantage in the MotoGP combined free practice standings at the Pramac Grand Prix of China, with not even the Italian himself able to beat his hot lap in the second session.

The Fiat Yamaha rider finished second in the afternoon runout, behind 2007 Shanghai race winner and reigning World Champion Casey Stoner. However, Stoner´s 2´00.186 lap was not sufficient to better Rossi´s marker, falling just over two-tenths of a second short.

Both riders had grip problems on their final outing of the day, avoiding highsides on the sun-heated asphalt but losing time making corrections. Rossi ran off track, a fate that also befell Alice Team´s Toni Elias and Rizla Suzuki´s Loris Capirossi.

The top three in the combined results involved all three previous winners of the Chinese round of the World Championship, with Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa pursuing the leading duo at the scene of his 2006 maiden MotoGP victory.
/>
Claiming a newfound level of comfort with his San Carlo Gresini Honda RC212V in Thursday´s press conference, Shinya Nakano gave weight to his statement by recording the day´s fourth fastest time. He was quicker than the likes of 2007 podium finisher John Hopkins and 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden, riding the factory version of the Honda machine.

Fully recovered from his Estoril tonsillitis, Alex de Angelis was seventh on the timesheet on the second satellite San Carlo Honda, ahead of Capirossi, JiR Team Scot´s Andrea Dovizioso and Tech 3 Yamaha veteran Colin Edwards.

MotoGP World Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo did not come out for the afternoon session, having been taken to hospital for examination. The Spaniard suffered a highside in his first premier class Shanghai session, picking up a chipped bone in his left ankle and some damage to his lower right leg. It is not yet known if the Fiat Yamaha rider will return to action on Saturday as he looks to maintain his 100% pole position record.
Page 1 of 2
1 2 >
View All Comments