Assen MotoGP: Casey Stoner tops first practice

Defending champion Casey Stoner’s dominant form from Donington Park continued in the opening practice session ahead of Saturday’s Assen MotoGP as he topped the timesheets once again.

Casey Stoner was top of the timesheets at the half way point with a 1:36.920 with Tech 3 Yamaha’s Colin Edwards second with a best lap of 1:37.934.

Edwards improved this with a 1:37.437 with 18 minutes of the session left as the two Hondas of Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden vied for the third spot on the timesheets.

Pedrosa went into second as he lapped the Assen circuit in a 1:37.398.

With four minutes left Stoner improved his time to post a 1:36.569 on his Ducati, which would be his best time of the session. And then with just over a minute left on the clock, 2006 champion Nick Hayden, on board the pneumatic valve engined Repsol Honda shot back up the timesheets to go second with a 1:37.186.

Britain’s James Toseland finished the session in 13th after improving his early times to post a 1:38.198 with five minutes of the session left.

Loris Capirossi was 12th on his return after the hand injury that kept him out of the Donington Park race just four days ago with his best time posted at 1:38.198.

Assen MotoGP free practice one results:

1 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team DUCATI 1’36.569
2 Nicky HAYDEN USA Repsol Honda Team HONDA 1’37.186
3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team HONDA 1’37.398
4 Colin EDWARDS USA Tech 3 Yamaha YAMAHA 1’37.437
5 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini HONDA 1’37.470
6 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team YAMAHA 1’37.480
7 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP HONDA 1’37.507
8 John HOPKINS USA Kawasaki Racing Team KAWASAKI 1’37.652
9 Shinya NAKANO JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini HONDA 1’37.821
10 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP HONDA 1’37.951
11 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team YAMAHA 1’37.987
12 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP SUZUKI 1’38.082
13 James TOSELAND GBR Tech 3 Yamaha YAMAHA 1’38.198
14 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP SUZUKI 1’38.341
15 Sylvain GUINTOLI FRA Alice Team DUCATI 1’38.435
16 Anthony WEST AUS Kawasaki Racing Team KAWASAKI 1’38.768
17 Marco MELANDRI ITA Ducati Marlboro Team DUCATI 1’39.020
18 Toni ELIAS SPA Alice Team DUCATI 1’39.805