Stoner makes statement of intent in MotoGP FP1

Home rider Casey Stoner showed no signs of dejection following the relinquishing of his MotoGP world title as he returned home to Phillip Island, the Australian putting down the fastest time of the first MotoGP session Down Under.

The Ducati rider and 2007 racewinner at the Australian Grand Prix stopped the clock at 1´30.094, nearly seven-tenths of a second faster than newly crowned World Champion Valentino Rossi –second quickest in the session.

A big fan of the Phillip Island circuit from his time in 250cc, Alex de Angelis recorded the third fastest time of the run onboard his San Carlo Honda Gresini machine. The San Marino rider was nearly a full second down on Stoner´s marker, but just two-hundredths of a second ahead of fellow MotoGP rookie Andrea Dovizioso.

Honda trio Randy de Puniet, Dani Pedrosa and Shinya Nakano –plus Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo and Suzuki veteran Loris Capirossi- were all within two-tenths of a second of each other in a top ten completed by James Toseland.