Seven times Donington winner Valentino Rossi was among the fallers in the opening practice sessions for the Nickel and Dime British Grand Prix at Donington Park. Torrential rain soaked the 2.50 mile Leicestershire circuit for the first MotoGP practice sessions. French Grand Prix winner Chris Vermuelen was the first to slide off closely followed by Rossi. Another former Grand Prix winner Carlos Checa completed the trio as the rain poured down. All riders were unhurt. Dani Pedrosa ran wide.
The rain continued in the afternoon hour long practice session which meant the time set in the morning by Championship leader Casey Soner riding the Ducati was enough for him to lead the way from a re-juvenated World Champion Nicky Hayden and his Repsol Honda team-mate Pedrosa who set his fastest lap in the afternoon rain.
Rossi could only finish tenth fastest setting his fastest lap in the afternoon with his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards sixth behind Frenchman Randy De Puniet and the Rizla Suzuki of Vermeulen.
Australian rain expert Anthony West made an imprfessive debut on the Kawasaki in seventh place in front of John Hopkins and Marco Melandri.
No less than 15 riders crashed in the opening 125cc practice session. The slanting rain soaked the track with 16 year old Bradley Smith among the fallers but he was uninjured and managed to complete the session despite the conditions.
Smith, riding the Repsol Honda, was eleventh in the afternoon qualifying session held in similar appalling conditions which brought down another slipping and sliding eight riders . Smith completed 14 laps in the session which was led by Championship leader Gabor Talmacsi riding the Bancaja Aspar Aprilia.
“Not the best of starts to my home grand prix but I was not hurt when I slid offf and managed to get in 14 laps despite the rain in the qualifying,” said Smith. “Of course I’m disappointed but there is the second qualifying session tomorrow and perhaps, just perhaps it may have stopped raining.”
Another 16 year old Danny Webb kept clear of trouble on the De Graaf Grand Prix Honda and qualified 27th on only his second ever ride at Donington.
Ulsterman Eugene Laverty was another faller in the morning but showed no ill effects to qualify a very impressive 14th in the 250cc class riding the LCR Honda. Laverty used his knowledge of the Donington circuit to good affect in the session led by the Aprilia of Alex De Angelis.
Related News
