MotoGP news

Stoner happy with Friday pace

Casey Stoner set the quickest lap on the opening day of free practice for the Grand Prix of Japan at Motegi today. It was a good day for Ducati in general, with all four riders inside the top ten.

The weather continued its persecution of the MotoGP paddock in 2008, with morning rain making for a damp track that dried out in the afternoon. Lap times, however, were still some way off record pace. 

"This morning we struggled to find rear grip on the wet track and we couldn't understand why, so this afternoon it was a case of taking our time to get the setting right and eventually we found a decent feel," said Stoner. "We have a few areas to improve on and one of the things we tried towards the end of this afternoon proved to be a blind alley, so that cost us some time. Basically we tried a new tyre but it was spinning up a lot on the rear and forcing me wide on the brakes. We need to make up for that tomorrow and a dry day would certainly help! My wrist is feeling pretty good here - much better than it has for the last two races anyway, only in the dry it is a little bit more difficult, in the wet no problems. I didn't use any bandage I preferred not to because I have not the same movement. If I can I won't use it."

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