Casey Stoner as usual was once again the fastest rider in a depleted field of only 16 riders during this morning’s FP1 at the Montmelò circuit in Spain.
The Repsol Honda rider who won at Le Mans, put in a best lap of 1.
43.
918 and the only rider who could break the 1.
44 mark, before it started raining copiously with 8 minutes left in the practice session that stopped all activity on track.
Despite all the controversy that has surrounded Marco Simoncelli, the Gresini rider answered back to all his detractors by taking the second best time and he was 0.
486s adrift from Stoner.
Third went to Jorge Lorenzo, followed by his team mate Ben Spies who looks like he’s finally refound his confidence.
Both Yamaha riders were a little more than 7 tenths from the top of the time sheet and the American was just 0.
003s from the reigning World Champion.
Andrea Dovizioso was fifth with Yamaha Tech3 riders, Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow, who is debuting on this track was immediately behind the Repsol Honda rider.
Nicky Hayden did a last lap lunge to grab the 8th spot from his team mate Valentino Rossi.
Ducati has brought in another updated electronics package and Rossi will also be trying out two different fairings.
Closing out the top ten was Hiroshi Aoyama who was more than 1.
414s from the factory Honda rider.
Toni Elias who is sporting Effenbert as a new title sponsor for this Grand Prix and using the 2011 chassis that Honda gave him to help out with his traction issues was 13th.
MotoGP Catalunya FP1 results:01- Casey Stoner – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – 1’43.
91802- Marco Simoncelli – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 0.
48603- Jorge Lorenzo – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
72504- Ben Spies – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
72805- Andrea Dovizioso – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 0.
81206- Colin Edwards – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
85007- Cal Crutchlow – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
87908- Nicky Hayden – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 0.
88109- Valentino Rossi – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 0.
92610- Hiroshi Aoyama – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 1.
41411- Randy De Puniet – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 1.
90312- Loris Capirossi – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 2.
21813- Toni Elias – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC212V – + 2.
79614- Alvaro Bautista – Rizla Suzuki MotoGP – Suzuki GSV-R – + 2.
94215- Karel Abraham – Cardion AB Motoracing – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 3.
66916- Hector Barbera – Mapfre Aspar Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 3.
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