Daniel Pedrosa had more problems than expected on the first day of official practice for the Catalunya Grand Prix, but he is confident of finding a good rhythm and grid position tomorrow. The World Champion spent today looking for a balanced set-up for his machine at a circuit that combines fast and slow sections.

Dani sealed a second row slot on the provisional grid whilst his team-mate Hiroshi Aoyama made considerable progress from the morning to the afternoon and qualified sixth fastest. The front-end problems he endured at Mugello just one week ago have improved and the Japanese rider has recovered his confidence at a circuit where he already established a good base setting for his bike at the Catalunya winter tests.

DANI PEDROSA (8th, 1’47”779): “Both in the morning and the afternoon we were unable to find a good rhythm with the bike. It’s not a specific problem, more a question of feeling, but it’s still not normal that we are so far off the pace. There has been a lack of co-ordination and I stopped too late to be able to go out and set a fast lap. Hopefully the work is organised better tomorrow and I can fight for a higher position on the grid. We know we can do well at this circuit”.

HIROSHI AOYAMA (6th, 1’47”584): “Today’s session didn’t go badly at all – we have to keep working a little on the front end but I felt much more comfortable than in Italy. This afternoon the carburetion of the bike wasn’t perfect but even so I am happy with the lap time and I hope to continue improving tomorrow.”

LAP TIMES

1. Jorge Lorenzo (Esp/Honda)                 1’46”748
2. Randy De Puniet (Fra/Aprilia)               1’46”825
3. Alex de Angelis (RSM/Aprilia)               1’47”090
4. Sebastian Porto (Arg/Aprilia)               1’47”411
5. Andrea Dovisiozo (Ita/Honda)              1’47”495
6. Hiroshi Aoyama (Jap/Honda)          1’47”584
7. Casey Stoner (Aus/Aprilia)                  1’47”656
8. Dani Pedrosa (Esp/Honda)               1’47”779
9. Héctor Barberá (Esp/Honda)                1’47”819
10. Simone Corsi (Ita/Aprilia)                  1’48”182