Jerez MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo proves Qatar was no fluke

Jorge Lorenzo once again showed his impressive move from the 250s to MotoGP was no fluke in Qatar as the Spaniard went fastest in the second free practice for his home MotoGP.

The factory Yamaha rider was always within the top 10 and finally secured the top spot on the 24th of his 26 laps.

Lorenzo pipped fellow Yamaha factory rider Valentino Rossi to the top spot as he beat the seven times champion’s time by 0.043secs.

Texan Colin Edwards has been a man on a mission all day with the Tech 3 Yamaha rider finishing the session in third place with a 1:40.584. This was more than 0.1secs quicker than his fastest time in the first session this morning.

Nicky Hayden, who led the session early on finished up in fourth. The Repsol Honda rider managed a best lap of 1:40.673.

The session was not without incident, with five crashes, including British rider James Toseland and reigning world champion Casey Stoner.

Toseland was the first to bite the dust when he lost the front of his Tech 3 Yamaha YZR-M1 just six minutes into the session while he was lying in fourth place.

The double World Superbike winner managed to get back to his garage in time to board his spare Yamaha YZR-M1 and completed the session in eighth. His best lap came on his 13th circuit of 15 at 1:41.028.

Three minutes after Toseland’s crash, British-based Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli, who James Toseland replaced at Tech 3 Yamaha, crashed his Alice Ducati GP8 on the exit of the long Curva Sito Pons right-hander.

He walked away unhurt, as did Casey Stoner after a spectacular crash just after the halfway stage.

The Aussie lost the front having just strayed a fraction off line at the fast left-hander immediately after the Curva Dry Sack.

He tumbled through the gravel trap but walked away unscathed, though his factory Ducati machine was extensively damaged.

He also managed to get back out on track with his spare Ducati GP8 already fired up for him to go straight back out.

Stoner finished the session in sixth with his best lap recorded at 1:40.877.

Factory Kawasaki rider John Hopkins’ early season woes continued this afternoon, with the American escaping injury in a crash with 21 minutes remaining.

And in the final seconds, Japanese rider Shinya Nakano crashed his Gresini Honda RC212V without injury.

Jerez MotoGP free practice two results:

1 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team YAMAHA 1’40.321
2 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team YAMAHA 1’40.364
3 Colin EDWARDS USA Tech 3 Yamaha YAMAHA 1’40.584
4 Nicky HAYDEN USA Repsol Honda Team HONDA 1’40.673
5 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team HONDA 1’40.815
6 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team DUCATI 1’40.877
7 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP HONDA 1’40.909
8 James TOSELAND GBR Tech 3 Yamaha YAMAHA 1’41.028
9 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP SUZUKI 1’41.157
10 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini HONDA 1’41.189
11 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP HONDA 1’41.268
12 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP SUZUKI 1’41.303
13 Shinya NAKANO JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini HONDA 1’41.393
14 John HOPKINS USA Kawasaki Racing Team KAWASAKI 1’41.519
15 Marco MELANDRI ITA Ducati Marlboro Team DUCATI 1’41.825
16 Sylvain GUINTOLI FRA Alice Team DUCATI 1’42.115
17 Anthony WEST AUS Kawasaki Racing Team KAWASAKI 1’42.181
18 Toni ELIAS SPA Alice Team DUCATI 1’42.183