Defending MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner went quicker than his own track record during the first MotoGP practice session Friday morning at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Stoner was slow at the start of the session and spent a fair amount of time in his garage, but during his final stint, the Australian clicked off a 1:21.944 on his Bridgestone-shod Marlboro Ducati Desmosedici to lead all 19 riders and eclipse his own lap record of 1:21.975. Second-fastest was multi-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi with a 1:22.679 on his Bridgestone-equipped Fiat Yamaha. The top five riders in the session were all on Bridgestone tires. The best non-Bridgestone performance was put in by Repsol Honda’s Nicky Hayden with a 1:23.469 on his Michelin-fitted RC212V. Hayden’s teammate Dani Pedrosa, was 19th and slowest in the order with a 1:25.311, but this was not a huge surprise as the diminutive Spaniard is riding with a broken left wrist and sprained right ankle. American wild card Ben Spies was fastest during the early stages of the 60-minute practice, but the young Texan crashed his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R with 23 minutes remaining. Spies was uninjured, according to his manager Doug Gonda, and resumed practice on his back-up bike. Spies ended up 11th on the time sheet. Jamie Hacking, fill-in rider for the injured John Hopkins, was 12th in the final order with a time of 1:24.050 on his Bridgestone-sponsored Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR. FIM MotoGP World Championship Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Monterey, California July 18, 2008 Free Practice One Results: 1. Casey Stoner (Ducati), Bridgestone, 1:21.915 2. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha), Bridgestone, 1:22.679 3. Shinya Nakano (Honda), Bridgestone, 1:22.953 4. Chris Vermeulen (Suzuki), Bridgestone, 1:23.406 5. Marco Melandri (Ducati), Bridgestone, 1:23.455 6. Nicky Hayden (Honda), Michelin, 1:23.469 7. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda), Michelin, 1:23.696 8. Toni Elias (Ducati), Bridgestone, 1:23.698 9. Colin Edwards (Yamaha), Michelin, 1:23.760 10. Alex De Angelis (Honda), Bridgestone, 1:23.896 11. Ben Spies (Suzuki), Bridgestone, 1:23.950, crash 12. Jamie Hacking (Kawasaki), Bridgestone, 1:24.050 13. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha), Michelin, 1:24.317 14. Randy DePuniet (Honda), Michelin, 1:24.356 15. Loris Capirossi (Suzuki), Bridgestone, 1:24.392 16. Anthony West (Kawasaki), Bridgestone, 1:24.591 17. Sylvain Guintoli (Ducati), Bridgestone, 1:24.661 18. James Toseland (Yamaha), Michelin, 1:24.736 19. Dani Pedrosa (Honda), Michelin, 1:25.311 More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Ducati: STONER INSIDE 2007 POLE PACE IN FIRST SESSION AS MELANDRI MAKES BRIGHT START Casey Stoner set the pace in the opening free practice for the USGP, which started out under uncharacteristically grey Californian skies and amidst fresh temperatures of 14°C, before the sunshine finally broke through and warmed things up to around 19°C. The Australian was quickly into the groove around the Laguna Seca circuit, located just north of Monterey, and in the final couple of minutes of the morning session he was lapping inside his pole position time from last season. Marco Melandri also did an excellent job this morning as he started out with the same setting he found at Sachsenring, continuing to make constant progress before ending with the fifth fastest time. CASEY STONER (Ducati MotoGP Team) 1st: 1’21.915 “At the start the track surface was a little cool but grip wasn’t bad and after a few laps it was back to a normal level. It took a few laps to get used to the new bumps that have emerged since last season though. In general the track is in good shape and I enjoyed riding because it’s a fun layout and we found a good set-up pretty quickly, using the base from last year. That allowed us to improve as the session went on and I think that if it wasn’t for a bit of traffic at the end I could have gone even faster. For now I’m very satisfied but we have to keep working hard because the temperatures are sure to keep rising in the afternoon and that will have an effect on the track conditions.” MARCO MELANDRI (Ducati MotoGP Team) 5th: 1’23.455 “Finally we’ve had a ‘proper’ free practice – I’m pleased. At the beginning the circuit was tricky but that was probably because of the fact it was cool, because suddenly the grip came in. I had a good feeling from the start with the bike, I was getting decent feedback and that is something I’ve been missing a lot this year. I was able to ride well and stay on the good line. From then on we made constant progress, refining the base set-up that we used at Sachsenring. Now we need to try and continue like this in the next session, when the temperature will no doubt be higher, because I want a good race here.” More, from a press release issued by Alice Ducati: In the first free practice on the Californian circuit of Laguna Seca the Alice Team riders, Toni Elias and Sylvain Guintoli, have concluded respectively in eight and seventeenth position. At two o’clock, local time, the second and last free practice of the day. Toni Elias — Alice Team rider (8th best lap time in 1:23.698 — Total laps 31) “I am happy because I have been between the first five positions during the all practice, for later concluding in seventh position. I made it to be fast from the beginning to the end and this is the most positive thing. It’s the first time that I arrive in America in the best physical conditions possible. The past years, in fact, I always came here from injuries recoveries. Now it’s a completely different story. I really enjoyed riding this morning and I will try to improve even more in the second free practice.” Sylvain Guintoli — Alice Team rider (17th best lap time in 1:24.661 — Total laps 29) “I have started really well, but than I didn’t make it to improve. We have tried many different solutions without thinking about getting up in the time sheet. This isn’t the objective of the first free practice. This afternoon we will try others set up solutions to make the bike even more competitive on this marvelous track. We can have a lot of fun here and we will do our best to prepare the bike. The weather conditions are much different compare to the past season but the asphalt seems to be in really good conditions.” More, from a press release issued by JiR Team Scot: Andrea Dovizioso 7th fastest at Laguna Seca in testing this morning Fog and cool temperatures have greeted the MotoGP riders on the first day of testing for the United States Grand Prix. For Italian Andrea Dovizioso it was his debut on the Californian circuit of Laguna Seca, but during the free practice, he has been able to adapt to this unique circuit well, despite the twists, turns and undulations of the Californian track. During the first free practice session he did a total of 29 laps, with the JiR Team Scot rider showing his constant improvement around the circuit as he stayed in the provisional top ten. The goal for the team this morning was to gain precious knowledge and experience of the track, which they accomplished well. Gianni Berti Technical Coordinator JiR Team Scot “We started well. Today was a good start on a track that Andrea did not know and let’s say that this track is unique and different from the classic European tracks that we know well! Andrea was able to adapt quickly and to better interpret the circuit this afternoon and will continue so, as well as select tyres in anticipation of the race whatever the climate conditions we experience here, after all today we’ve found the morning is cool, while the afternoon is much hotter.” Andrea Dovizioso Rider JiR Team Scot MotoGP HONDA RC212V 7th- best time: 1’23 “696 “Laguna Seca is a mad track: and that’s in both a good and bad way! Safety isn’t maybe at the highest level, but it’s an impressive circuit to ride you have so many curves and changes of altitude. And then there’s the Corkscrew which gives you so much fear at first, as you do not see the descent down to the left but you have to keep the gas on for as long as possible before hitting the turn, where you have to back off the gas again! I followed Valentino Rossi for a while to learn the correct trajectory through the corner and to learn the track faster. With the passage of time I’ve managed to learn it better on my own and the times have improved. It was fun!” Pietro Caprara Chief Technician JiR Team Scot “Our priority this morning was for Andrea to get a guide base setting for the bike. Andrea showed once more his status as a rider who has an ability to adapt quickly to different conditions and to a new circuit which he has never been to in the past. Our performance this morning should be attributed to him. In the afternoon we analysed the data collected and will continue to develop both the bike and tyre choice for the race on Sunday.”