Valentino Rossi sets MotoGP practice pace in Le Mans
French MotoGP, Le Mans
Date: 22-23 May
Saturday 22 May: Qualifying: 1150-1500, BBC Red Button/online
Sunday 23 May: 125cc and Moto2 races: 0950-1205, BBC Red Button/online Race live: 1230-1400, BBC Two/online MotoGP Extra: 1400-14:30, BBC Red Button/online
 Rossi took top spot at the very end of the session |
A superb late lap put Valentino Rossi top of the time sheets after opening practice for the French MotoGP at Le Mans on Friday.
The reigning world champion left it late to clock a time of one minute 34.402 seconds, edging Ducati's Casey Stoner into second place.
That is progress for Stoner after a disappointing fifth place finish last time out at Jerez.
Championship leader and Jerez winner Jorge Lorenzo ended the day in third.
Andrea Dovizioso led a Repsol Honda double in fourth place ahead of fifth-placed team-mate Dani Pedrosa, with three Americans, Colin Edwards, Nicky Hayden and Ben Spies, in the next three places.
Aleix Espargaro and Marco Melandri completed the top 10.
Suzuki's Alvaro Bautista brought up the field in 17th place, and only managed 19 laps as he was clearly in severe pain after breaking his shoulder in a recent motocross accident, even needing help to remove his crash helmet at the end of the session.
Rossi was also still hampered by injuries from his own motocross accident but said it was not such a problem that it would hold him back.
"It's good to be this fast already," he said.
"Unfortunately I still have some pain in my shoulder in the two or three hard braking areas, but I hope with the adrenaline (on Saturday) and Sunday it will be better and won't cause a problem.
"Our bike is historically very good here and it feels great in the twisty parts especially, so we're hopeful for a good weekend."
French MotoGP free practice times:
1 V Rossi (Ita) Fiat Yamaha 1:34.4022 C Stoner (Aus) Ducati 1:34.508
3 J Lorenzo (Sp) Fiat Yamaha 1:34.542
4 A Dovizioso (Ita) Repsol Honda 1:34.625
5 D Pedrosa (Sp) Repsol Honda 1:34.989
6 C Edwards (USA) Tech 3 Yamaha 1:35.089
7 N Hayden (USA) Ducati 1:35.223
8 B Spies (USA) Tech 3 Yamaha 1:35.291
9 A Esparagro (Sp) Pramac Racing Ducati 1:35.450
10 M Melandri (Ita) Gresini Honda 1:35.643
11 L Capirossi (Ita) Rizla Suzuki 1:35.685
12 M Simoncelli (Ita) Gresini Honda 1:35.959
13 H Barbera (Sp) Aspar Ducati 1:36.009
14 R de Puniet (Fr) LCR Honda 1:36.086
15 M Kallio (Fin) Pramac Ducati 1:36.292
16 H Aoyama (Jpn) Interwetten Honda 1:36.798
17 A Bautista (Sp) Rizla Suzuki 1:37.525
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