Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa has taken charge of the MotoGP free practice timesheets, topping the third session in Jerez with his last lap of 1’38.769 to set the quickest time of the weekend ahead of this afternoon’s qualifying period.
The little Spaniard put the soft tyre to good use on his 18th lap to depose countryman and Movistar Yamaha man Jorge Lorenzo, who had led for a majority of the 45 minutes with his 1’38.918, set on lap three and the two were the only riders to go under the 1’39s barrier.
Reigning champion Marc Marquez was also fast in the opening laps with a 1’39.007 on his first flier which was enough for third but the Repsol Honda man managed more laps in the 1’39s than his two rivals.
Marquez set 13 laps in that bracket while Pedrosa and Lorenzo both managed nine. Valentino Rossi put in ten 1’39s laps with his fastest of 1'39.094 good enough for fourth place on the sheet.
Shock of the session, and probably weekend, was Colin Edwards’ final lap was enough for him to bag fifth place with 1’39.200. Cynics would say that the rumours of his sacking may have lit a fire under the Texas veteran and he has outperformed team-mate Aleix Espargaro for the first time this year as the youngster could only muster seventh behind Stefan Bradl.
Andrea Dovizioso used his soft tyre to shoot into eighth with his last lap and send ahead of Pol Espargaro, while his Monster Yamaha team-mate Bradley Smith squeezed into qualifying two with his final circulation of 1'39.561 to be eight-tenths off the pace and depose Ducati test rider Michele Pirro.
Injured Cal Crutchlow has a lot of work to do to haul himself from 16th with a 1'39.960 into a position to challenge for a qualifying one spot. Pirro was the fastest man not to get into Q1 outright and he is four-tenths quicker than the British rider.
Scott Redding was 20th and said last night he needs to adjust his riding style to suit the tight nature of Jerez while Michael Laverty was 24th.
