MotoGP news

Stoner fastest in first Sachsenring session

Ducati's Casey Stoner completed the quickest lap time in first practice for this weekend's German Grand Prix on Friday. The result comes as a big relief to the Australian, who has been suffering from illness since the Catalonia race over a month ago; the 2007 Champion topped the timesheets from USA winner Dani Pedrosa and current championship leader Valentino Rossi.

Dry, slick tyres made no appearance for over 30 minutes of the session as a rainstorm in the 125cc practice just minutes earlier left for a highly slippery track. Stoner finished the day with a best effort of 1.22.779 as the trio behind finished very closely bunched in terms of times.

Vermeulen's day ends in a bad way in Germany

Dani Pedrosa finished third for Repsol Honda at the circuit which saw him suffer his huge accident last year as Rossi's Yamaha completed the top three. LCR rider Randy de Puniet again set another blistering practice time, proving his quick adaptation skills in such conditions, as de Angelis and Edwards made for a mixed top six.

Crucially for the championship battle, the second Yamaha of Jorge Lorenzo was significantly slower than the top times as he, unlike Stoner, struggled with the ill affects of a large crash at Laguna Seca and ended up 11th. Chris Vermeulen's afternoon ended rather abruptly for Suzuki as a highside 15 minutes before the clock stopped saw him shuffling out of harm's way at the side of the track. The Tech3 Yamaha of James Toseland narrowly avoided a similar fate, thankfully saving himself from suffering an off.

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• 24 Nov.
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• 20 Nov.
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• 18 Nov.
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• 17 Nov.
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• 13 Nov.
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• 11 Nov.
  • Photos: Wednesday in Valencia
  • Pedrosa: One thing at a time
  • Valencia Day 3: Stoner back at front
  • Scot Racing pulls out of championship
• 10 Nov.
  • Valencia Day 2: Lorenzo goes quickest
  • Photos: Tuesday in Valencia
  • Provisional 2010 calendar released
• 09 Nov.
  • Photos: Monday in Valencia
  • Valencia Day 1: Stoner on top
  • Champions pick up 2009 trophies
• 08 Nov.
  • Frustrating end of the season for Stoner
  • Pedrosa enjoys home victory
  • Small mistake dropped Lorenzo to third
  • Maximum result for Rossi at Valencia
  • Photos: Sunday in Valencia
  • Pedrosa dominates in Valencia
• 07 Nov.
  • Rossi struggles at Valencia
  • Lorenzo enjoys 16th front row of the season
  • Stoner confident at Valencia
  • Unbeatable Stoner grabs pole position at Valencia
  • Photos: Saturday in Valencia
  • Stoner also fastest in second practice Valencia
• 06 Nov.
  • Gusts affecting bike performance, says Pedrosa
  • Photos: Friday in Valencia
  • Rossi: Quite a lot of work to do
  • Lorenzo searching for home victory
  • Stoner leads Friday practice in Valencia
• 05 Nov.
  • Suppo to leave Ducati
  • Valencia extends contract to 2016
• 04 Nov.
  • Spies reveals special Valencia livery
• 03 Nov.
  • Canepa to miss season final in Valencia
  • Rossi: Now we can enjoy ourselves

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