Pedrosa fastest on day oneFollowing Sunday's rain-soaked Alice Grand Prix de France, a number of teams stayed behind at the Le Mans circuit yesterday for a test which was a somewhat drier affair.
Although still overcast, the riders were able to able to test at a
slightly warmer and certainly less slippery track, gaining important information on day one.
Notable absentees from testing were home riders and now MotoGP race leaders Randy de Puniet and Sylvain Guintoli. The latter was having some well earned rest to fully recover from his Sunday highside, leaving team-mate Makoto Tamada to undertake the Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha team's testing plan by himself.
Of the twelve riders to participate in yesterday's test, Dani Pedrosa clocked the fastest lap of the session. The Repsol Honda rider put in 70 laps of the Le Mans circuit, with his quickest time a 1'35.0. He and team-mate Nicky Hayden will both undertake more testing tomorrow, with ‘The Kentucky Kid' still experiencing pain after his crash in the final stages of Sunday's race.
Rizla Suzuki's John Hopkins and World Championship leader Casey Stoner both equalled Pedrosa's lap on the unofficial timesheet, with Stoner working on traction control, engine mapping and Bridgestone's next generation of tyres alongside Ducati team-mate Loris Capirossi.
With fellow LCR Honda rider Carlos Checa in action today –putting in the highest amount of laps with 74- 250cc rookie Eugene Laverty took advantage of his team's extended stay in France to continue his development on the quarter litre kit Honda. Laverty suffered a crash towards the end of the session, but was satisfied with his general progress with the bike.
A number of riders will stay for an extra day of activity at the Bugatti circuit today.
Le Mans test day one- Unofficial times
1 D.Pedrosa- Repsol Honda 1´35.0 70 lap
2 J.Hopkins- Rizla Suzuki 1´35.0
3 C.Stoner - Ducati Marlboro 1´35.0 44
4 T. Elias - Honda Gresini 1. 35.1 58
5 V. Rossi Fiat Yamaha 1´35.3 66
6 L.Capirossi Ducati Marlboro 1´35.4 50
7 C. Checa LCR Honda 1´35.4 76
8 C. Edwards Fiat Yamaha 1´35.6 59
9 M.
Melandri Honda Gresini 1´35.7 66
10 N. Hayden Repsol Honda 135.9 40
11 M. Tamada Tech 3 Yamaha 1.36.5 67
12 C. Vermeulen Rizla Suzuki –
DORNA / CAPSIS International
