Rossi tops practice at Donington

Valentino Rossi has set a hot pace right from the start of the British Grand Prix at MCN Donington Park just beating Troy Bayliss to the top spot in the first practice session.

Rossi put in 29 laps in the hour-long session clocking a fastest lap of 1:32.129, 0.6 seconds outside the circuit’s fastest lap, set by him last year.

Ducati’s Troy Bayliss was hot on the heals of the world champion finishing with a best lap just 0.03 seconds off Rossi’s pace.

Olivier Jacque took his Gauloises Yamaha to the third fastest time with a 1:32.466 lap, followed by the Fortuna Yamaha of Carlos Checa 0.383 seconds behind.

Colin Edwards pushed his Aprilia to fifth ahead of the Hondas of Max Biaggi and Nicky Hayden.

British Superbike star Yukio Kagayama, standing in for injured Kenny Roberts on the Suzuki GSV-R, finished 16th fastest, while the WCM two-strokes of Chris Burns (1:36.435) and David De Gea (1:46.889) are split by Kawasaki’s Gary McCoy (1:36.675) in the last three places.

Check back regularly throughout the weekend for all the latest news from MCN Donington Park