Melandri finds form for Le Mans

Italian Marco Melandri enjoyed his best day of a nightmare 2007 campaign when he set the fastest time in this afternoon’s second free practice session in Le Mans.

The former world 250 champion has been one of Honda’s most vocal critics after a tough start to the new season on the Japanese factory’s struggling RC212V 800 machine.

He has yet to register a podium this season but he gave his confidence a significant lift this afternoon with a lap of 1.35.319 set with 22 minutes remaining that was good enough to secure the best time.

Melandri had topped the timesheets this morning but eventually slipped down the order to finish ninth, but he was quickly into his stride this afternoon in a session that started under grey and gloomy skies.

Light drizzle saw reigning world champion Nicky Hayden crash out uninjured at the Garage Vert right-hand hairpin, just seconds after German Alex Hofmann had succumbed to the greasy conditions. Shinya Nakano also had a close call when he went straight on at the first corner, though he managed to keep control of his Konica Minolta Honda.

Melandri, who triumphed in Le Mans a year ago, edged out fellow Honda rider Dani Pedrosa by 0.148s.

On a rare good day in ’07 for HRC, Spanish veteran Carlos Checa completed a clean sweep of the top three places for Honda as his best time of 1.35.498 nudged Texan Colin Edwards on the Fiat Yamaha down to fourth.

LCR Honda rider Checa had found himself at the top of the leaderboard just 14 minutes in when he set a 1.35.511.

Melandri also had a close call in the session when he ran onto the grass exiting the Garage Vert corner, but he held on to beat Pedrosa. The Spaniard, who was quickest this morning, set a best time of 1.35.467.

Current series leader Casey Stoner was sixth fastest with a best time of 1.35.759. He made the early running in this afternoon’s session and was the first rider to break into the 1.35s when he logged a 1.35.887 on his sixth lap.
Fiat Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi was only 11th quickest this afternoon with a best time 1.36.391.

The Italian was one of only three riders who failed to better their time from this morning including crashers Hayden and Hofmann. Rossi’s time from this morning of 1.35.770 was still good enough for the seventh best on combined times for the day.
A typically frantic ending to the session was brought to an abrupt end with just six minutes remaining when light drizzle started to fall.