Le Mans MotoGP: Valentino Rossi heads first practice

Reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi left it late to top the timesheets at the end of opening practice for the French GP at Le Mans this afternoon.

The Italian looked like he might have to settle for third position behind 2007 world champion Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo when he seized top spot with a brilliant last lap on board Yamaha’s factory YZR-M1.

Rossi, who had dominated the early stages of the session, posted a best time of 1.34.402 to edge out Australian Stoner by just 0.106s.

Stoner clocked a best time of 1.34.508 while using new triple clamps on his factory Ducati GP10 and he beat Lorenzo into third by 0.034s.

The Spaniard, who holds a slender four-point lead over Rossi going into the third race on Sunday, also spent a spell at the top of the timesheets but he ended with a 1.34.542.

Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso was fourth quickest and only 0.083s slower than Lorenzo with team-mate Dani Pedrosa a further 0.364s adrift in fifth place.
Colin Edwards, who has claimed two of his 11 MotoGP podium finishes at the Le Mans circuit, was sixth quickest on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha with fellow American Nicky Hayden in seventh.

Ben Spies impressed again on his first experience of the iconic Le Mans track. The reigning World Superbike champion posted a best time of 1.35.291 to finish just 0.889s off Rossi’s impressive pace.

Spies was just 0.068s behind Hayden in a session that was run in hot conditions.
Spaniard Alvaro Bautista had a gruelling afternoon in front of a decent Friday crowd.

The factory Suzuki rider was not surprisingly 17th and last as he rode his GSV-R just a week after having a plate and six screws inserted in his left shoulder following a motocross training accident.

The former 125GP world champion ended with a best time of 1.37.525 that was over three seconds off the pace.