Firehawk
05-02-2008, 09:22 AM
MotoGP China: Rossi fastest, Lorenzo Injured
http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/2082/219903rossiinaction1280od7.jpghttp://img234.imageshack.us/img234/8334/220124previewbigvd6.jpg
SHANGHAI, CHINA, MAY 2: Fiat Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi turned in the fastest lap on the first day of practice for Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai Circuit, while his teammate Jorge Lorenzo rested in a nearby hospital.
Rossi clocked his fast in the morning session, held on a warm, smoggy day on the outskirts of Shanghai. The lap of 1:59.906 mins. was nearly 1.5 secs. off his best lap from 2007.
The performance wasn’t entirely unexpected on the circuit with the longest straightaway on the calendar. Yamaha has made significant improvement in top speed and Bridgestone, which dominated here last year, is now on the rear of Rossi’s machine.
It’s also on the back of Casey Stoner’s Marlboro Ducati GP08, which ended the day second fastest after clocking the fastest time in the afternoon session. The winner here last year, Stoner has been trying to regain the form he showed in 2007 and in the first race of 2008. Since then, the season hasn’t been the success it was when he sprinted to the 2007 title.
Lorenzo sat out the afternoon hour after being injured in a spectacular high-side in the morning session. The Mallorcan was pitched high in the air, doing a vertical half-spin before landing on his chin piece, knees and feet, then sliding and tumbling into the gravel as sparks flew.
A team spokesperson said he'd refractured a bone in his left ankle. The original injury is from 2002. There was also severe bruising and trauma to his right tibia and heel.
Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa interrupted the Bridgestone order by slotting his Michelin machine into third. Next came two more Bridgestone runners, Gresini Honda’s Shinya Nakano and Kawasaki’s John Hopkins, then Repsol Honda’s Nicky Hayden; the trio covered by .054 secs.
The next three riders were also tightly bunched, with only .044 secs. separating Alex de Angelis (Hon) from Andrea Dovizioso (Hon), with Loris Capirossi (Suz) in between.
Tech 3 Yamaha’s Colin Edwards was tenth.
Friday Combined Practice:
1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 1:59.906
2. Casey Stoner (Ducati) 2:00.163
3. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 2:00.361
4. Shinya Nakano (Honda) 2:00.553
5. John Hopkins (Kawasaki) 2:00.591
6. Nicky Hayden (Honda) 2:00.607
7. Alex De Angelis (Honda) 2:00.931
8. Loris Capirossi (Suzuki) 2:00.964
9. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) 2:00.974
10. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) 2:01.064
http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/2082/219903rossiinaction1280od7.jpghttp://img234.imageshack.us/img234/8334/220124previewbigvd6.jpg
SHANGHAI, CHINA, MAY 2: Fiat Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi turned in the fastest lap on the first day of practice for Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai Circuit, while his teammate Jorge Lorenzo rested in a nearby hospital.
Rossi clocked his fast in the morning session, held on a warm, smoggy day on the outskirts of Shanghai. The lap of 1:59.906 mins. was nearly 1.5 secs. off his best lap from 2007.
The performance wasn’t entirely unexpected on the circuit with the longest straightaway on the calendar. Yamaha has made significant improvement in top speed and Bridgestone, which dominated here last year, is now on the rear of Rossi’s machine.
It’s also on the back of Casey Stoner’s Marlboro Ducati GP08, which ended the day second fastest after clocking the fastest time in the afternoon session. The winner here last year, Stoner has been trying to regain the form he showed in 2007 and in the first race of 2008. Since then, the season hasn’t been the success it was when he sprinted to the 2007 title.
Lorenzo sat out the afternoon hour after being injured in a spectacular high-side in the morning session. The Mallorcan was pitched high in the air, doing a vertical half-spin before landing on his chin piece, knees and feet, then sliding and tumbling into the gravel as sparks flew.
A team spokesperson said he'd refractured a bone in his left ankle. The original injury is from 2002. There was also severe bruising and trauma to his right tibia and heel.
Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa interrupted the Bridgestone order by slotting his Michelin machine into third. Next came two more Bridgestone runners, Gresini Honda’s Shinya Nakano and Kawasaki’s John Hopkins, then Repsol Honda’s Nicky Hayden; the trio covered by .054 secs.
The next three riders were also tightly bunched, with only .044 secs. separating Alex de Angelis (Hon) from Andrea Dovizioso (Hon), with Loris Capirossi (Suz) in between.
Tech 3 Yamaha’s Colin Edwards was tenth.
Friday Combined Practice:
1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 1:59.906
2. Casey Stoner (Ducati) 2:00.163
3. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 2:00.361
4. Shinya Nakano (Honda) 2:00.553
5. John Hopkins (Kawasaki) 2:00.591
6. Nicky Hayden (Honda) 2:00.607
7. Alex De Angelis (Honda) 2:00.931
8. Loris Capirossi (Suzuki) 2:00.964
9. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) 2:00.974
10. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) 2:01.064