Brno MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo continues domination

Jorge Lorenzo started the second half of the 2010 MotoGP campaign as he ended the first – on top and in dominant form at Brno.

The Spaniard, who was won six out of nine races so far this season, resumed after the short summer break today in ominous form to dominate the opening practice timesheets in preparation for Sunday’s Czech Republic MotoGP.

Lorenzo had first moved to the top of the leaderboard with 20 minutes remaining with a lap of 1.57.439 that put him over 0.3s clear of compatriot Dani Pedrosa.

He followed that up with a lap of 1.57.215 to jump 0.514s ahead of Repsol Honda rider Pedrosa.

That was good enough to claim top spot as light rain prevented anyone improving their lap times in the final ten minutes.

Pedrosa, who trails Fiat Yamaha rider Lorenzo by a massive 72-points going into Sunday’s 22-lap encounter, clocked a best time of 1.57.756 to edge out reigning world champion Valentino Rossi in third by just 0.065s.

Rossi, who claims he is still only 65 per cent with recovering right shoulder and leg injuries, set the early pace and the 31-year-old ended with a best time of 1.57.821.

That put him 0.052a clear of fellow Italian Andrea Dovizioso who secured fourth with a best time of 1.57.873.

Factory Ducati rider Nicky Hayden was fifth quickest with his lap of 1.58.286 just over a second away from Lorenzo’s impressive pace.

Colin Edwards made a fast return after claiming his best result of the season on home soil at Laguna Seca last month. He rode his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 machine to the sixth best time with a best of 1.58.497.

Aussie Casey Stoner had a tough return from the summer interval as he could only post the seventh best time and never seriously threatened the top three throughout the 60-minute session on his factory Ducati GP10.

His best time of 1.58.532 was a massive 1.317s adrift of Lorenzo.

Randy de Puniet completed 16 laps on his stunning return from injury. The Frenchman was back in action only 26 days after he breaking his left leg in two places after a crash during last month’s German MotoGP at Sachsenring.

The LCR Honda rider logged a best time of 2.00.184 to finish 16th. Only Alex de Angelis was slower on the Interwetten Honda RC212V.

Marco Simoncelli recovered from an early crash on his San Carlo Gresini Honda to post the eighth best time.

A 1.58.840 was 0.130s ahead of Texan Ben Spies, who won one World Superbike race in the Czech Republic last year on his way to the world title.