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Post by BADGER on Apr 11, 2008 19:16:25 GMT
Full free practice times (1 and 2 combined) from the Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril, round three of the 2008 MotoGP season.
After this morning's damp first session, the track was fully dry for the afternoon hour, when all 18 riders set their best lap time of the day.
1. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 38.507 secs 2. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 38.547 secs 3. Colin Edwards USA Yamaha Tech 3 (M) 1min 38.632 secs 4. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 38.688 secs 5. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 38.868 secs 6. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Scot Team (M) 1min 39.171 secs 7. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 39.202 secs 8. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 39.309 secs 9. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 1min 39.332 secs 10. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 39.474 secs 11. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 39.591 secs 12. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 39.946 secs 13. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Tech 3 (M) 1min 40.055 secs 14. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 41.033 secs 15. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 41.112 secs 16. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 41.572 secs 17. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 1min 41.875 secs 18. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 1min 43.262 secs
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Post by BADGER on Apr 11, 2008 19:19:05 GMT
Rossi 'happy' despite heavy highside. Friday, 11th April 2008
Valentino Rossi finished the opening day of practice for the Portuguese Grand Prix a strong second fastest in both wet and dry conditions - despite a spectacular morning highside.
Friday morning marked only the second real chance for Rossi and his crew to try Bridgestone's wet-weather tyres and the Italian's accident came mid-way through the hour - when his rear tyre spun-up before gripping and spitting the Italian over the handlebars and down the road.
Rossi, the most successful rider in MotoGP history at Estoril, was fortunately unhurt and able to continue on his second bike, finishing second and quite pleased with his wet-weather pace.
The dry afternoon hour was less complicated and Rossi was present at the sharp end throughout, eventually finishing just 0.040secs behind Jerez winner and MotoGP Wold Championship leader Dani Pedrosa.
Rossi was the sole Bridgestone rider in a Michelin-dominated top six, in direct contrast to the wet morning session where Japanese rubber reigned supreme.
"I am happy about today's result," declared Rossi, edging ever closer to his first Bridgestone victory. "To be second in both sessions, in the wet and the dry, is not bad at all and the conditions were quite difficult!
"My Bridgestone tyres in the wet worked very well and I had a great feeling, so I'm really happy about this. Maybe I had a bit too much feeling in fact because I was pushing a little bit too hard when I fell! It was quite a big crash and I hit the ground hard but fortunately I am fine and I just have a bit of pain in my hip. After that with my second bike I was able to go even faster so this made me very happy.
"This afternoon was good again, even if the track wasn't perfect and the wind was tricky, but this is Estoril and we know that the weather can always change from minute to minute so we have to be ready to adapt. Tomorrow we need to keep improving, whatever the weather, and be ready to fight in any conditions! Thanks to my team for working very hard to rebuild my bike, it was a big job!" he added.
"The most satisfying thing about today is that we were fast in both kinds of conditions, so this is a good sign for the weekend because it seems the weather is going to keep changing!" added team manager Davide Brivio.
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