MotoGP: Stoner leads Sepang warm-up

Date published : 25 Oct 2009 - 03:06:20

Casey Stoner was quickest in the warm-up for today's Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.The Australian, who was surprised and frustrated to only qualify fourth yesterday, lapped in 2m01.408s on his Ducati to beat Honda's Dani Pedrosa to the top spot by 0.227 seconds.Valentino Rossi set the pace initially before falling back to third, although the Yamaha rider only needs fourth in the race to clinch the title - and was again one place ahead of his team-mate and only remaining championship threat Jorge Lorenzo, who escaped a trip through the gravel.Pedrosa's team-mate Andrea Dovizioso showed his best form of the weekend so far to take fifth, demoting Suzuki's Loris Capirossi and Ducati's Nicky Hayden in the final minutes.Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda), Toni Elias (Gresini Honda) and Colin Edwards (Tech 3 Yamaha) filled the rest of the top ten spots, with the latter's team-mate James Toseland continuing to struggle and ending up slowest of all.Pos Rider Bike Time Gap 1. Casey Stoner Ducati 2m01.408s 2. Dani Pedrosa Honda 2m01.635s + 0.227s 3. Valentino Rossi Yamaha 2m01.774s + 0.366s 4. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha 2m01.996s + 0.588s 5. Andrea Dovizioso Honda 2m02.195s + 0.787s 6. Loris Capirossi Suzuki 2m02.286s + 0.878s 7. Nicky Hayden Ducati 2m02.299s + 0.891s 8. Randy de Puniet LCR Honda 2m02.372s + 0.964s 9. Toni Elias Gresini Honda 2m02.540s + 1.132s10. Colin Edwards Tech 3 Yamaha 2m02.543s + 1.135s11. Chris Vermeulen Suzuki 2m02.849s + 1.441s12. Marco Melandri Hayate Kawasaki 2m02.958s + 1.550s13. Mika Kallio Pramac Ducati 2m03.005s + 1.597s14. Alex de Angelis Gresini Honda 2m03.248s + 1.840s15. Aleix Espargaro Pramac Ducati 2m03.819s + 2.411s16. Gabor Talmacsi Scot Honda 2m04.092s + 2.664s17. James Toseland Tech 3 Yamaha 2m04.299s + 2.891s