Rossi quickest in practice

Added on Friday, October 16th, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor

Valentino Rossi was first to lay down the marker for Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo this weekend by topping Friday’s free practice session.

The world champion posted a fastest time of 1:31.032 just ten laps into his 31 lap shift in cool conditions at Phillip Island ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.

Casey Stoner, winner of his home race for the past two years, improved throughout the session to lap just 0.135secs behind Rossi on his 22^nd and final lap of the circuit, leaving Honda’s Dani Pedrosa a distant third.

Pedrosa was almost half a second off the pace but it was title contender Jorge Lorenzo who was left with much to ponder after only managing to post the sixth fastest time of the day, more than a second behind his Yamaha teammate.

The Spaniard was even topped by two satellite riders, with Gresini Honda’s Alex de Angelis and Tech 3′S Colin Edwards fourth and fifth fastest respectively.

James Toseland was behind Lorenzo as the seventh fastest.

In the 125cc practice, Bradley Smith was second fastest with a time of 1:38.690, 0.255 seconds behind Derbi’s Pol Espargaro.

Pos	Rider	Nat	Team	Time
1	Valentino Rossi	ITA	Fiat Yamaha Team	1:31.032
2	Casey Stoner	AUS	Ducati Marlboro Team	+ 0.135
3	Dani Pedrosa	SPA	Repsol Honda	+ 0.496
4	Alex de Angelis	RSM	San Carlo Honda Gresini	+ 0.754
5	Colin Edwards	USA	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	+ 0.814
6	Jorge Lorenzo	SPA	Fiat Yamaha Team	+ 1.045
7	James Toseland	GBR	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	+ 1.223
8	Andrea Dovizioso	ITA	Repsol Honda	+ 1.470
9	Mika Kallio	FIN	Pramac Ducati	+ 1.540
10	Loris Capirossi	ITA	Rizla Suzuki	+ 1.574
11	Nicky Hayden	USA	Ducati Marlboro Team	+ 1.739
12	Randy de Puniet	FRA	LCR Honda	+ 1.776
13	Toni Elias	SPA	San Carlo Honda Gresini	+ 2.272
14	Marco Melandri	ITA	Hayate Kawasaki	+ 2.390
15	Chris Vermeulen	AUS	Rizla Suzuki	+ 2.472
16	Gabor Talmacsi	HUN	Scot Honda	+ 2.786
17	Niccolo Canepa	ITA	Pramac Ducati	+ 3.514