The good news during the first MotoGP practice at Motegi saw four riders separted by only several tenths of second with Valentino Rossi taking the top of the time charts with a final lap lunge in the dying moments of the session.
The bad news is that Dani Pedrosa, who was the only rider points wise that was contesting the championship title against Jorge Lorenzo crashed hard in the opening minutes of the session at turn 9 and suffered a 3 fragment fracture to his left collarbone, that will effectively put him out of the running for this weekend.
Pedrosa, with all probability will also miss the Sepang and Phillip Island GP’s as he’ll have to undergo surgery.
With Honda Repsol rider no longer able to contest, this makes Jorge Lorenzo, at least mathematically this year’s world champion.
The Doctor who was afraid that all the right braking at Motegi would cause him more pain to his weakened shoulder put in 27 laps and with a best lap of 1.
48″174 on his final run was was enough to keep him in front of second place Andrea Dovizioso.
Jorge Lorenzo took third and was just three tenths from his team mate and a mere 0.
007s in front of Casey Stoner, in the fourth spot.
Ben Spies has learned the Japanese track fast and despite a fall took fifth ahead of Hiroshi Aoyama who is feeling his home race finished in sixth, both riders were more than one second from Rossi’s best time.
Behind Aoyama were Colin Edwards, Hector Barbera, Loris Capirossi and Marco Simoncelli closed out the top ten.
Nicky Hayden also crashed and managed to finish 13th.
MotoGP Motegi 1st Free Practice Results:01- Valentino Rossi – Fiat Yamaha Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – 1′48.
17402- Andrea Dovizioso – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 0.
21303- Jorge Lorenzo – Fiat Yamaha Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
30004- Casey Stoner – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – + 0.
30705- Ben Spies – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 1.
12806- Hiroshi Aoyama – Interwetten Honda MotoGP – Honda RC212V – + 1.
18307- Colin Edwards – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 1.
20308- Hector Barbera – Paginas Amarillas Aspar – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – + 1.
37009- Loris Capirossi – Rizla Suzuki MotoGP – Suzuki GSV-R – + 1.
39410- Marco Simoncelli – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 1.
40711- Marco Melandri – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 1.
44612- Alvaro Bautista – Rizla Suzuki MotoGP – Suzuki GSV-R – + 1.
47013- Nicky Hayden – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – + 1.
70814- Randy De Puniet – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC212V – + 1.
78315- Aleix Espargaro – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – + 1.
98416- Mika Kallio – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – + 2.
93117- Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 11.
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