Stoner’s Corner? They should change Phillip Island’s entire name to Casey Stoner’s Island – at least when MotoGP is in town – as the Repsol Honda rider again utterly dominated the session during this morning’s third and final practice.
Stoner was once again the benchmark and everyone fell short compared to the Australian’s blistering laps, as he posted his best lap in 1.
29.
665 and shaving off another three tenths of a second from his yesterday’s record, and it looks like the pole position has already been assigned, and the only question will be how much faster can Stoner (who is wearing a new helmet design) go in this afternoon’s qualifying.
Championship title rivals Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa were second and third respectively, and more than a second adrift and they completely disappered from the scene in front of Stoner’s total supremacy.
Battling his bronchitis Cal Crutchlow was fourth ahead of Yamaha Tech3 team mate Andrea Dovizioso who suffered a harmless crash halfway through the practice.
Alvaro Bautista finish in sixth, including taking out one of Phillip Island’s suicidal seagulls.
The kill zone was indicated by a cloud of white feathers and a body dropping to the kerb at the final corner.
Yesterday Randy de Puniet was the fastest CRT rider taking 10th overall and leaving both Ducati satellite riders behind him.
Today the Aspar rider went even faster and finished in 7th leaving all four Ducati riders hanging the lids in shame, but also Stefan Bradl who was 8th and almost two tenths adrift from the Frenchman.
Valentino Rossi was 9th ahead of Karel Abraham closed out the top ten, but Aleix Espargaro on the other Aspar ART was in 11th and just 0.
060s from the Cardion AB rider.
MotoGP Phillip Island FP3 results:01- Casey Stoner – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC213V – 1’29.
665 02- Jorge Lorenzo – Yamaha Factory Racing – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 1.
019 03- Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC213V – + 1.
316 04- Cal Crutchlow – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 1.
532 05- Andrea Dovizioso – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 1.
773 06- Alvaro Bautista – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC213V – + 1.
970 07- Randy De Puniet – Power Electronics Aspar – ART GP12 – + 1.
986 (CRT) 08- Stefan Bradl – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC213V – + 2.
156 09- Valentino Rossi – Ducati Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP12 – + 2.
393 10- Karel Abraham – Cardion AB Motoracing – Ducati Desmosedici GP12 – + 2.
416 11- Aleix Espargaro – Power Electronics Aspar – ART GP12 – + 2.
476 12- Nicky Hayden – Ducati Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP12 – + 2.
701 13- Hector Barbera – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP12 – + 3.
520 14- Danilo Petrucci – CAME Iodaracing Project – Ioda Suter BMW – + 3.
921 15- Roberto Rolfo – Speed Master Team – ART GP12 – + 4.
246 16- James Ellison – Paul Bird Motorsport – ART GP12 – + 4.
443 17- Michele Pirro – San Carlo Honda Gresini – FTR Honda MGP12 – + 4.
518 18- Colin Edwards – NGM Mobile Forward Racing – Suter BMW – + 4.
638 19- Ivan Silva – Avintia Blusens – BQR FTR – + 4.
742 20- Kris McLaren – Avintia Blusens – BQR FTR – + 6.
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