Daniel Pedrosa secured a spot on the provisional front row of the grid in the first qualifying practice for the Grand Prix of China and will start from fourth place if the storm forecasts in Shanghai come true tomorrow.
His team-mate Hiroshi Aoyama set the sixth fastest time, two and a half seconds off the provisional pole lap set by Australian rider Casey Stoner.
So far the changeable weather has not helped the riders get to know the new track or find a definite set-up, but taking the conditions into account the World Champion was able to reflect positively on the day.
It started to rain 18 minutes from the end of the morning session and from that point onwards the track conditions made it difficult for the riders to take any risks or set consistent laps in the search for a good set-up. Also, visibility was reduced towards the end of the session as the sun began to set, with earlier delays having a knock-on effect on the 250cc session.
DANI PEDROSA (4th, 2’10”044): “It’s been a tough day in general. In the morning it rained at the end of the session and in the afternoon it was the opposite way around – wet at the start and with a dry line forming by the end. That never helps at a new circuit, when you are trying to learn your way around. We also have to find a base set-uyp for the bike – the gearbox settings, tyres, brakes and everything else. Also, I don’t like the circuit – it’s a little unbalance, with two long straights, tight corners, some wide sections and some narrow. But that’s the way it is. At the moment we’re fourth and they say it’s going to rain tomorrow and Sunday, so we’ll have to be ready.”
HIROSHI AOYAMA (6th, 2’411”761): “I’m not happy today because I think I would have been on the front row if it wasn’t for another rider in my way at the end of the session, when I was on my fastest lap. I lost a few decisive tenths there and that knocked me back to the second row. I think the feeling and the set-up can improve, but the grid position isn’t bad for the first day”.
LAP TIMES
- Casey Stoner (Aus/Aprilia) 2’09”289
- Andrea Dovizioso (Ita/Honda) 2’09”489
- Sebastián Porto (Arg/Aprilia) 2’09”84
- Dani Pedrosa (Esp/Honda) 2’10”044
- Jorge Lorenzo (Esp/Honda) 2’11”327
- Hiroshi Aoyama (Jap/Honda) 2’11”761