Kawasaki's Anthony West dominated this afternoon's first MotoGP free practice session at Indianapolis heading the field for most of the extended and soaking wet hour and a half.

West started fast and was only knocked off the top of the timesheets when Rizla Suzuki's Ben Spies pushed his way to the front with 45 minutes remaining.

The Australian wet weather specialist was soon quickest again, putting in a 1'55.218 lap which stood until Marlboro Ducti's Casey Stoner took the lead with a 1'54.989.

The pair then swapped fastest laps until West went out with five minutes left to go and posted the quickest time of the session with a 1'53.034. Stoner, who crashed in the session, looked to be good for second until Gresini Honda's rookie Alex De Angelis demoted him to third with two minutes to.

West's team-mate John Hopkins was narrowly beaten into fifth by Andrea Dovizioso with Rizla Suzuki's Chris Vermeulen in close attendance. Spies ended the session in ninth, one place behind in the injured Nicky Hayden who, in turn, was less than a tenth slower than Jorge Lorenzo.

Valentino Rossi is nearly two seconds slower than poleman West while Colin Edwards is in 15th. Britain's James Toseland is 17th, more than three seconds off the pace.

Dani Pedrosa, who is racing on Bridgestone tyres for the first time this weekend, is 3.8 seconds adrift and last.

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