Sepang MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo makes fast start

Jorge Lorenzo might have given up any hope of clinching the 2009 MotoGP world crown, but the Spaniard proved he will go down fighting after topping the timesheets in the opening practice session for Sunday’s Malaysian GP.

In typically sweltering hot conditions at the Sepang circuit, the Fiat Yamaha rider posted a best time of 2.02.180 in the final three minutes to leapfrog Casey Stoner to the top of the leaderboard.

Lorenzo, who goes into Sunday’s penultimate race trailing Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi by a massive 38-points, edged out Stoner by just 0.064s after a late attack to reclaim top spot from the Aussie just failed.

Stoner had been in impressive form in the final 25 minutes, a lap of 2.02.703 ending Rossi’s early domination of the session.

In the final ten minutes he was able to stretch his advantage to almost half-a-second when a lap of 2.02.322 moved him 0.473s clear of Lorenzo before the Spaniard’s impressive late finish.

Stoner at least showed no signs of the chronic fatigue issues that recently forced him to miss three races.

The 24-year-old, who claimed a stunning victory in Phillip Island just five days ago, looked like he was coping with the extreme physical demands posed by the Sepang heat without any problem.

His best lap of 2.02.244 came on his 17th lap, with Stoner completing fewer laps than anybody else in the 17-strong field to conserve his energy.

Dani Pedrosa claimed third spot with a quickest time of 2.02.758 that left the Repsol Honda rider 0.578s away Lorenzo.

And after his early domination, Rossi could only finish fourth fastest and the Italian was a massive 0.684s adrift of Lorenzo.

Rossi, who can claim a seventh premier class world title on Sunday, clocked a best time of 2.02.864 on just the sixth lap of his 23-lap stint.

British rider James Toseland had a tough opening day as he could only set the 15th best time on his first return to Sepang after his mammoth winter testing crash in February.

The 28-year-old, who suffered a vicious high-side at Turn Five during the opening day of 2009 winter testing at Sepang, could only clock a best time of 2.05.218.

He was over half-a-second away from Randy de Puniet’s LCR Honda and over three seconds adrift of Stoner. Only Aleix Espargaro, making only his third MotoGP appearance, and Gabor Talmacsi were slower.