Lorenzo leads FP3 with new lap record

Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing) set a late lap time of 1’48.080 in practice Saturday morning, making him the fastest rider of Gran Premio d’Italia TIM weekend as well as the fastest motorcycle around the circuit in history thus far. Despite Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team) bettering his previous day’s time by over half a second with a time of 1’48.411, the significant improvement was not enough to catch the Mallorcan.

Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) went 0.293s faster than his best time on Friday to put him third quickest of the weekend, also making him the last rider under the 1’49 mark. Lorenzo's team mate Ben Spies moved into fourth fastest position with a time of 1’49.072 followed by Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), who posted a fifth fastest lap time just 0.006s behind his fellow Texan, in spite riding with pain that his rib injuries continue to give him.

Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) posted the sixth fastest time of the session and weekend with a 1’49.132 and was the first of only two riders not to improve his previous day’s time. The Italian's best lap of his weekend remains his FP1-topping effort of 1’49.088 of Friday morning.

Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) continues improve while working on bike set up, his time of 1’49.756 put him seventh in the morning session, 0.133s in front of team mate Valentino Rossi, who completed more laps in FP3 than he did in the entire previous day.

Randy de Puniet (Pramac Racing) and Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) were both inside the top ten, with Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) following in 11th as he continues to search for a good set up at the fast Italian circuit.