Stoner fastest at midday in post-race test

After his disappointing sixth place in the bwin.com Grande Premio de Portugal, Casey Stoner was the fastest of seventeen riders staying on for testing in Estoril as of midday local time.

The reigning MotoGP World Champion recorded a time of 1´37.982, the only rider thus far to break the 1´38 mark. He was nearly two tenths of a second quicker than another former champion to experience difficulties in yesterday´s race, Repsol Honda rider Nicky Hayden.

Hayden was not using Honda´s pneumatic valve engine for the RC212V, as previously scheduled, instead working on other aspects of his Repsol Honda bike whilst engineers in Japan continue development of the motor. Hayden crashed out of the race in Estoril when riding in fourth, and can be expected to further improve upon his pace before flying home to America.

Podium finisher Valentino Rossi was third fastest once again, as he was in both the race and Saturday´s qualifying session. The Italian is the only Fiat Yamaha rider participating in the post-GP test, with teammate Jorge Lorenzo heading to Barcelona to consult doctors about a possible arm pump operation.

Staying on for only Monday´s test session, Andrea Dovzioso is working on a few adjustments to his riding style, picked up from following the frontrunners for thirteen laps before crashing out of the Estoril showdown. He was fourth fastest at midday, ahead of Kawasaki´s John Hopkins and James Toseland, undertaking further labour with the new engine given to Tech 3 Yamaha this past weekend.

Alex de Angelis, Chris Vermeulen and Randy de Puniet completed the halfway point top ten.