Pace setter Stoner wants continuation

Casey Stoner was instantly fast at Laguna Seca on Friday as he set the best time of the opening practice session, lapping consistently to set a best time of 1’21.699. That was just two-hundredths of a second off last year’s pole position time and a little over two-tenths away from Stoner’s own circuit record set in 2008.

Satisfied with how his session had gone after he changed bikes early on Stoner explained what he and his team would need to work further on in Saturday’s second practice.

“Today we tried a few different things with the setting because we still need to find a better feeling with the front,” he said. “We also need to adapt the braking because there are a lot more bumps here in the braking zones than there were last year.”

The 24 year-old was also adamant that he needs to maintain his pace to ensure himself the best possible chance of a first win of the season.

He continued: “In general we have to be happy because we’re setting the pace at the moment but we have to continue this tomorrow. In a lot of races this season we’ve been fast on a Friday but not able to improve and lost ground to the others so we want to make sure that doesn’t happen here. I’m not looking to be first in practice, I would like to be first at the end of the race on Sunday.”