It was a day of crashing for the MotoGP stars in the first two practice sessions for the Alice Grand Prix of Germany at the Sachsenring this afternoon. Among the fallers in the afternoon session were Championship leader Dani Pedrosa and World Champion Casey Stoner while in the morning British star James Toseland crashed without injury on just the second lap.
Although the weather was dry despite a few spots of rain in the morning round the tight 2.281 mile circuit, the pressure really told on those top men who all escaped injury. Anthony West on the sole Kawasaki crashed in the morning and bruised his back while in the afternoon Andre Dovizioso and Colin Edwards also fell without injury.
Despite his crash when he lost the front end of the Marlboro Ducati at the very fast downhill right hand hander, Stoner was in superb form and led the way in both one hour sessions. The 22 year old Australian who has dominated the last two grands prix, became the fastest rider ever to lap the Sachsenring when he set a breathtaking one minute 21.582 seconds lap. Nobody could stick with the World Champion although Alex De Angelis gave it a good try and was just under half second down on the San Carlo Gresini Honda with Edwards, despite his crash, third fastest.
Four times Sachsenring winner Valentino Rossi was over a second down in fourth place in front of the Repsol Honda of Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo.
Tough Day For ToselandIt was a tough day for 27 year old Yorkshireman James Toseland. He crashed on the second lap of his first ever session round the Sachsenring at the fast left hand bend at the bottom of the steep hill. He ran off the track on the Tech 3 Yamaha in the afternoon session and finally finished 17th
Smith Right On The PaceBradley Smith put the Assen disappointments behind him and was immediately on the pace in the first 125 cc qualifying session. Riding the Polaris World Aprilia, the 17 year old Oxfordshire rider eventually finished second fastest despite being baulked on the last corner by a slower rider that almost certainly cost him provisional pole.
“ I’m very happy with the bike and I’m not having to ride in a crazy way or take risks to secure fast laps,” explained Smith. “ I got baulked a couple of times but you would expect nothing less on such a tight track. It’s been a good first day.”
Fifteen year British Grand Prix winner Scott Redding was 14th on his first visit to the Sachsenring, but only just over one second down on World Champion Gabor Talmacsi while Danny Webb, still in pain from his broken collarbone, was 22nd riding the Degraaf Aprilia.
Ulsterman Eugene Laverty was an impressive 16th in the first 250 cc qualifying session despite an off track excursion on the Blusens Aprilia.
