Repsol Honda's Casey Stoner has set the fastest time in this evening's third and final MotoGP free practice session but reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo had a huge crash at turn five right at the end of the session and has hurt his right leg.
Lorenzo was spat over the top of a massive highside and immediately clutched his femur but was able to walk on it after receiving help from medical staff. He had only just gone back out on track and looks to have been caught by a cold-tyre highside as turn five is the first fast left-hander after doing a practice start. He has been given the all clear by circuit medical staff, however.
Stoner's fast lap of 1'21.806 was set very early on in the session but was very nearly matched by team-mate Dani Pedrosa who is only 0.017s behind while Lorenzo's tenth circulation was good enough for third on the soft tyres and he is only a further 0.032 back of his compatriot.
Marco Simoncelli isn't having such a great time of it in comparison to the last few rounds, lapping four-tenths off the pace and is only a tenth ahead of Ben Spies on the second factory Yamaha. The American has said he will do whatever it takes to get a result at the first of two homes races this season.
The third Repsol bike of Andrea Dovizioso is sixth ahead of vastly-improved performances from the Marlboro Ducatis. Nicky Hayden, on the GP11, is seventh and six tenths off the pace while team-leader Valentino Rossi, on the GP11.1, is a further two tenths back in eighth. Alvaro Bautista and Hector Barbera round out the top ten.
Colin Edwards is 11th and team-mate Cal Crutchlow is 13th but in front of fellow rookie Karel Abraham who, along with Loris Capirossi, got involved in some on-track handbags with Simoncelli before crashing. No one was shocked when Toni Elias did the same while Ben Bostrom is a little more than four seconds in arrears.
