Lights go on for first day of 2010 night test in Qatar
Continuing his pre-season form Fiat Yamaha Valentino Rossi was the fastest rider of the first day at Losail, as the World Champion set a best time of 1’55.402 on his factory M1. Setting his hot lap inside the final 10 minutes of the session, which ended at midnight local time, Rossi completed 64 turns and pushed Casey Stoner down to second position on the timesheet.
Rossi’s team-mate Jorge Lorenzo struggled with his injured right hand and was forced to stop regularly. Despite his severe discomfort and a trip to the Clinica Mobile for treatment the Spaniard did manage to complete 45 laps, with a best time of 1’56.838 placing him a respectable seventh on the timesheet – under 1.5 seconds off his team-mate and rival Rossi.
Ducati rider Nicky Hayden and Mika Kallio of Pramac Racing were eighth and ninth fastest respectively, and Dani Pedrosa’s pre-season continues to run a none too smooth course. The Repsol Honda rider was 10th quickest of the session after his 60 laps produced a best time that was over 1.6 seconds off Rossi’s marker.
Fastest laptimes, Day1:
Pos Rider Team Fastest lap Prev. Gap Lead. Gap Laps
1 Valentino Rossi Fiat Yamaha Team 1:55.402 – – 64
2 Casey Stoner Ducati Marlboro Team 1:55.717 +0.315 +0.315 48
3 Ben Spies Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:55.954 +0.237 +0.552 44
4 Colin Edwards Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:56.540 +0.586 +1.138 59
5 Randy De Puniet LCR Honda MotoGP 1:56.588 +0.048 +1.186 54
6 Andrea Dovizioso Repsol Honda Team 1:56.811 +0.223 +1.409 65
7 Jorge Lorenzo Fiat Yamaha Team 1:56.838 +0.027 +1.436 45
8 Nicky Hayden Ducati Marlboro Team 1:56.855 +0.017 +1.453 77
9 Mika Kallio Pramac Racing Team 1:56.923 +0.068 +1.521 72
10 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team 1:57.047 +0.124 +1.645 60
11 Loris Capirossi Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1:57.099 +0.052 +1.697 40
12 Marco Melandri San Carlo Honda Gresini 1:57.605 +0.506 +2.203 63
13 Hector Barbera Aspar Team 1:57.822 +0.217 +2.420 62
14 Hiroshi Aoyama Interwetten-Honda MotoGP 1:57.888 +0.066 +2.486 75
15 Marco Simoncelli San Carlo Honda Gresini 1:57.891 +0.003 +2.489 63
16 Aleix Espargaro Pramac Racing Team 1:57.898 +0.007 +2.496 67
17 Alvaro Bautista Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1:57.960 +0.062 +2.558 56
Source: motogp.com
