Stoner sets his stall out in Sunday session

Casey Stoner was just over a tenth of a second faster than pole position holder and World Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo on Sunday morning as the MotoGP class warmed up for the AirAsia British Grand Prix.

A time of 2’04.711 from the Ducati Marlboro placed him at the head of the timesheet, with his team-mate Nicky Hayden third quickest behind second placed Lorenzo. Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda), who will start the race from the front row, was fourth on his RC212V, with Repsol Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso completing the top five.

Ben Spies (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) readied himself for the race with the sixth best time, and San Carlo Honda Gresini pair Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli were between the American and his team-mate Colin Edwards in ninth.

Hiroshi Aoyama (Interwetten Honda MotoGP) had a crash at Turn 8 towards the start of the 20-minute session as he entered the chicane, highsiding on his RC212V and he looked to be in some discomfort. The Japanese rider was ruled out of this afternoon’s race following a trip to the medical centre, and will visit hospital in Oxford to assess his condition.

Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) also fell at the very end, at the same spot Aoyama had come unstuck at as he slid out, and escaped uninjured.

The MotoGP race starts at 1pm local time.