MotoGP news

Hopkins fastest on day one

Showers and overcast skies in Mugello meant that MotoGP practice for the Gran
Premio d´Italia Alice got off to a stuttering start, with neither of the two Friday
sessions likely to help when it comes to choosing dry race settings. 

A wet track for the entirety of the afternoon session meant that morning times were
difficult to improve, Kawasaki Racing´s John Hopkins not receiving any challenge to
his timesheet-topping lap of 1´54.053. Said time had been recorded in the matutinal
run, on a drying racing line, something not experienced second time around and
reflected in the near ten-second difference in the Anglo-American´s respective hot
laps. 

Remaining in second place, Loris Capirossi was once again the quickest Italian
representative on his home circuit. The Rizla Suzuki veteran ran his GSV-R off-track
during the rainier of the two sessions, a fate also experienced by third placed rider
and second Kawasaki competitor Anthony West. 

San Carlo Honda Gresini´s Alex de Angelis and Shinya Nakano showed good early
form for fourth and fifth on the timesheet, but the latter´s day was soured by a
lowside in the final quarter of the afternoon. The light crash left the Japanese rider
mud-sodden but uninjured, whilst some extensive repair work will be performed on
his Honda RC212V in preparation for Saturday´s qualifying showdown. 

The combined top ten also featured JiR Team Scot local boy Andrea Dovizioso, fastest
rider of the completely wet run Chris Vermeulen, and the early World Championship
contenders Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi. The latter was the
highest placing Yamaha rider in tenth, with factory teammate and title challenger
Jorge Lorenzo in fourteenth. Both Fiat Yamaha riders had some early wobbles on their
M1 bikes, but managed to stay upright and on-track. 

Riding the pneumatic valve Honda engine on his MotoGP wildcard return, Tadayuki
Okada suffered a high speed lowside on the fast downhill section of the Mugello track,
but escaped uninjured.

more news

• 20 Aug.
  • Melandri confirms Kawasaki move
• 19 Aug.
  • Nakano wraps up positive test for Gresini
  • Stoner ends test with threatening pace
  • Rossi confident for final rounds after test
• 18 Aug.
  • Good test ends strong weekend for Rossi
  • Ducati top test with Stoner
• 17 Aug.
  • Dismal end to disappointing weekend for Pedrosa
  • Stoner rues costly mistake
  • Encouraging results for Gresini
  • Rossi celebrates crucial victory
  • Rossi storms to win as Stoner crashes
  • Stoner still ahead in warm-up
• 16 Aug.
  • Photos: Saturday in Brno
  • Pedrosa struggles in qualifying
  • Rossi hoping for dry race
  • Stoner storms to sixth straight pole
  • Stoner fastest on Saturday morning
• 15 Aug.
  • Stoner fastest despite stomach pain
  • Rossi in confident mood
  • Gresini upbeat after first day
  • Photos: Friday in Brno
  • Stoner bites back in second practice
  • Rossi leads Stoner in first practice
• 12 Aug.
  • Stoner ready to resume battle
  • Gresini riders hopeful for Brno
  • Injured Hayden won't race at Brno
• 11 Aug.
  • Hayden uncertain for Brno
• 08 Aug.
  • Capirossi to equal Barros' record
• 25 Jul.
  • FIM announces provisional 2009 calendar
• 23 Jul.
  • Metatarsal fractures confirmed for Lorenzo
• 21 Jul.
  • Rossi savours sweet taste of victory
  • Lorenzo rues yet another crash
  • Stoner not happy with second
  • Photos: Sunday at Laguna Seca
• 20 Jul.
  • Rossi overcomes Stoner to win at Laguna Seca
  • Stoner still on top in warm-up
  • Photos: Saturday at Laguna Seca
  • Rossi hoping to cause upset
  • Lorenzo improves to fourth
  • Stoner delighted with fifth straight pole

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