Pedrosa tops practice
Added on Saturday, August 29th, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
Pedrosa tops practice
Repsol Honda rider, Dani Pedrosa was the dominant force in the first of this weekend’s MotoGP Free Practice sessions, ahead of the Indianapolis Grand Prix.
In a practice session that was marred by rain, Pedrosa completed the session just 0.1 seconds in front of Ducati’s Nicky Hayden; confirming himself as the early pace setter of the weekend, Pedrosa soon gave his rivals something to think about.
Each of the riders soon found themselves ten seconds off the regular pace, when compared to a dry track, meaning it was to be a difficult opening practice for all.
Championship leader set the third fastest time, with teammate Jorge Lorenzo fourth and Alex De Angelis fifth. A strong showing from the Tech 3 Yamaha duo of James Toseland and hometown hero Colin Edwards was well received by the squad, with Toseland getting the better of the latter with the sixth fastest time to Edwards’ eighth place.
The Rizla Suzuki duet of Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen endured different experiences, with Capirossi finishing the session seventh to Vermeulen’s twelfth place. Just ahead of Vermeulen, Andrea Dovizioso, Marco Melandri and Mika Kallio made up the ground in between the Rizla Suzuki riders.
Alex Esparago completed his first MotoGP practice session in a respectable fifteenth place, just ahead of Gabor Talmacsi and Niccolo Canepa.
The second practice session saw another honourable top spot from Pedrosa, again demonstrating his dominant form, while this time Lorenzo took second behind him.
De Angelis managed third second time around, with Lorenzo’s teammate, Rossi, back in fourth. Local veteran, Edwards progressed to fifth quickest, after a slower time during practice one, while teammate Toseland suffered a tougher time, only managing sixteenth quickest.
Dovizioso was able to record the sixth quickest time of the outing, with the Ducati duo of Hayden and Kallio taking seventh and ninth, respectively. Marco Melandri completed the top ten, while, further back, Toni Elias separated the Rizla Suzuki riders, Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen.
With Pedrosa dominating both practice sessions it opens up the weekend, with everyone wondering who will triumph after Sunday’s Indianapolis Grand Prix.
