Dani Pedrosa crashes but tops practice timesheets

Dani Pedrosa escaped injury in a late crash to post the fastest time on the first day of practice for his home race in Catalunya today.

The Repsol Honda rider had just moved to the top of the timesheets with a best lap of 1.43.107 when he lost the front end of his RC212V at the Curva Seat right-hander.

Pedrosa walked away and his time was still fastest enough to claim top spot, with factory Suzuki rider Loris Capirossi in second place with a lap of 1.43.023.

Pedrosa was also fastest in this morning’s opening free practice session.

Valentino Rossi was third fastest ahead or reigning world champion and 2007 Catalunya winner Casey Stoner.

The Aussie recovered from a nightmare morning session to clock a best lap of 1.43.090 to finish just 0.009s behind Rossi in an incident-packed session.

The drama started early when Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo suffered a massive crash after just nine minutes.

Third fastest this morning, the Estoril GP winner crashed when he lost the rear of his YZR-M1 at the penultimate corner. He tumbled several times through the gravel trap and needed to be stretchered to an ambulance.

Early reports suggest he has not aggravated the broken ankles he first suffered last month in China, but he has been taken to a Barcelona hospital for further checks. He also suffered a nasty cut on his right hand and sources claim he has also concussion.

Moments after Lorenzo’s big crash, American John Hopkins suffered a vicious high-side on his factory Kawasaki. Hopkins was also stretchered off to the circuit’d medical centre and he took no further part in the session.

British rider James Toseland was an encouraging eighth, just over 0.4s slower than Pedrosa.