DE PUNIET SEVENTH QUICKEST AT ESTORIL GP OPENING DAY

Estoril, 02 October: after 3-week break the MotoGP is back on track at Estoril circuit for the second-last European GP of the calendar and the LCR Honda MotoGP rider Randy De Puniet faced up his first day of practices aboard Honda RC212V. The Frenchman, who is 90 percent recovered from his left ankle fracture suffered last August, got the 7th position today clocking his quickest lap time of 1’38.385.

With changeable weather conditions due to the ocean winds, today’s free session was dry with track temperature of 25°C and De Puniet, who has renewed his agreement with LCR for 2010, went around the 4.182 Km track 27 times mainly working on rear grip issues. Today’s frontrunner Lorenzo set a quickest 1’37.185 lap time.

De Puniet 7th– 1’38.385

De Puniet – 7th: “Basically it has been a good first session after such a long break. My feeling on the bike was immediately positive and could push hard even if we struggled a bit with the rear grip. It seems like that everybody had the same problem because of the surface conditions. Lap by lap we improved the grip level adjusting the engine mapping and the suspension settings. My rhythm is consistently fast because now I can easily ride as I like. My ankle is not at 100 percent yet and at the end of the day it is still swollen but it is responding well”.

Free Practice 1:
1 Lorenzo (1’37.185)
2 Pedrosa (1’37.544)
3 Rossi (1’37.606)
4 Stoner (1’37.966)
5 Edwards (1’38.103)
6 Dovizioso (1’38.244)
7 De Puniet (1’38.385)
8 Toseland (1’38.591)
9 De Angelis (1’38.629)
10 Kallio (1’38.661)
11 Hayden (1’38.850)
12 Capirossi (1.38.978)
13 Canepa (1’39.033)
14 Talmacsi (1’39.393)
15 Elias (1’39.567)
16 Vermeulen (1’39.686)
17 Melandri (1’39.757)

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