Lorenzo dominates first practice

Jorge Lorenzo
12 April 2012

New MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo topped first practice for the Australian Grand Prix after heavy rain and gale-force winds saw the session delayed by two hours at Phillip Island.

The rainfall flooded parts of the circuit near Melbourne and there was still plenty of standing water when the hour-long session finally got under way.

But Fiat Yamaha rider Lorenzo appeared oblivious to the testing conditions as his best lap of one minute 41.146 seconds put him at the top of the timesheets ahead of the Ducati of home favourite Casey Stoner.

Stoner's team-mate Nicky Hayden was next ahead of the Gresini Honda pairing of Marco Simoncelli and Marco Melandri.

Andrea Dovizioso was sixth on the first of the Repsol Hondas but it was a tough return to action for his team-mate Dani Pedrosa.

The Spaniard broke his collarbone in a practice crash in Japan a fortnight ago and missed that race and last weekend's round in Malaysia while he recovered, and he looked uncomfortable aboard his RC212V, only completing seven laps with his best leaving him a full 10 seconds off Lorenzo's pace.

Sepang winner Valentino Rossi, still struggling with his shoulder injury, was another who did not get to grips with the tricky conditions, finishing the session seventh as he looks to try and haul in Pedrosa in the race for second in the championship.

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