Rossi fastest in first practice at Welkom

Valentino Rossi finished fastest in the first free practice session for the opening Grand Prix of the 2004 season at Welkom, South Africa.

Rossi posted a time of 1:34.405, with rival Max Biaggi 0.392 seconds behind. Colin Edwards is third quickest, with Kenny Roberts Jnr fourth on the Suzuki.

Neil Hodgson is currently 18th fastest, six places behind team-mate Ruben Xaus. Shane Byrne is 19th on the Aprilia, with Jeremy McWilliams in 20th.

And the British WCM team has announced that it will compete the full season this year, with one rider, Michael Fabrizio, racing at Welkom. He’ll be joined by British rider Chris Burns from round two. The team are racing the four-stroke prototype machine which was developed last year. Fabrizio finished the session in 23rd place with a time of 1:40.182

1) Rossi 1:34.405. 2) Biaggi. 1:34.797. 3) Edwards 1:35.106. 4) Roberts Jnr 1:35.188. 5) Gibernau 1:35.247. 6) Barros 1:35.554. 7) Melandri 1:35.566. 8) Checa 1:35.782. 9) Hayden 1:35.900. 10) Capirossi 1:35.909 11) Tamada 1:36.244. 12) Xaus 1:36.272. 13) Nakano 1:36.318. 14) Hofmann 1:36.553. 15) Abe 1:36.593. 16) Hopkins 1:36.273. 17) Bayliss 1:36.990. 18) Hodgson 1:37.112. 19) Byrne 1:37.304. 20) McWilliams 1:38.466. 21) Aoki 1:39.328. 22) Roberts 1:39.859. 23) Fabrizio 1:40.182.

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