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[MOTOGP] Stoner takes BMW
Stoner takes 2009 BMW M Award with hot lat at Jerez
Ducati Marlboro’s Casey Stoner was the winner of a special edition BMW 135i in Sunday’s showdown session at the MotoGP Official Test. The 2007 World Champion was untouchable at the southern Spanish circuit of Jerez, dominating the session onboard his formidable Desmosedici GP9 machine.
Stoner registered a superb 1’38.646s lap in the final ten minutes of the session, even finding time to give a wave to his Ducati Marlboro crew as he flew down the main straight. He was already leading the chase for the car prize at the time, courtesy of an early hot lap. The session was brought to a premature close by rainfall shortly after his final surge, with just over three minutes remaining on the clock.
The winner of last year’s BMW M Award in the rain at Jerez, Stoner’s repeat trick added another car to his extensive collection. Thomas Schemera, BMW M Sales and Marketing Director, handed him the keys to a BMW 135i ‘BMW Sauber F1 Team Edition’, of which only 135 have been made.
The reigning World Champion 2007 BMW M Award victor, Valentino Rossi got closest to Stoner with a 1’39.365s time which put him second on the timesheet, 0.719s behind the Australian. Like Stoner, the Fiat Yamaha man is enjoying a good preseason and the pair look like they will push each other hard for the title in 2009.
Behind the front two it was Rizla Suzuki’s Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen who sandwiched fourth-placed Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo in the top five.
Causing a surprise in sixth place was rookie Mika Kallio, despite running off track at one point. The Finn was experiencing his first competitive MotoGP outing in the shootout session.
In the continued absence of injured team-mate Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso was the fastest HRC representative. A good performance from returning Ducati rider Sete Gibernau, meanwhile, saw him lap eighth quickest on his Grupo Francisco Hernando satellite Desmosedici GP9.
The top ten was rounded off by San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Toni Elias and the winner of the 2006 BMW M Award, Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Colin Edwards.
With around 15 minutes remaining Edwards’ team-mate James Toseland suffered a nasty highside crash and was stretchered away. The session was briefly red flagged as the English rider was given medical attention at the side of the track, with early reports from Clinica Mobile later indicating that he was bruised but not seriously injured.
Heavier rain arrived at the circuit shortly after the BMW M Award session, prompting some teams to leave early rather than test in the wet conditions during the scheduled final 3.15pm – 6.00pm free practice session.
The MotoGP paddock will reconvene at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar on the 10th-12th April weekend for the first race of the year.
Courtesy: motogp.com
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