Dovizioso fastest in wet final test
Honda's Andrea Dovizioso set the fastest time at Jerez this afternoon as rain meant that MotoGP's winter testing came to a low-key end
The weather that had brought the lunchtime qualifying session to an early halt dissuaded many riders from going out at all in the last session of the weekend. No one set a lap time in the first hour, and only 10 of the 19 riders took to the track at all.
Suzuki's Chris Vermeulen showed characteristic good wet weather form to top much of the afternoon before Dovizioso edged ahead by two tenths of a second.
Marco Melandri had flown in inclement conditions on the Hayate Kawasaki in Qatar and did the same here, taking third place followed by a trio of Ducatis - test rider Vittoriano Guareschi and race rider Nicky Hayden's factory examples, and BMW Award session star Mika Kallio's satellite Pramac version.
Casey Stoner, who had won the new BMW road car on offer for the fastest time in the midday qualifying simulation, was one of those who chose not to participate in the afternoon practice, along with works Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.
The season begins in a fortnight with the floodlit Qatar Grand Prix at Losail.
Pos Rider Bike Time 1. Andrea Dovizioso Honda 1:51.488 2. Chris Vermeulen Suzuki 1:51.688 + 0.200 3. Marco Melandri Kawasaki 1:52.105 + 0.617 4. Vittoriano Guareschi Ducati 1:52.228 + 0.740 5. Nicky Hayden Ducati 1:52.243 + 0.755 6. Mika Kallio Ducati 1:52.343 + 0.855 7. Yuki Takahashi Honda 1:53.678 + 2.190 8. Loris Capirossi Suzuki 1:55.147 + 3.659 9. Niccolo Canepa Ducati 1:55.219 + 3.731 10. Randy de Puniet Honda 1:55.465 + 3.977 11. Alex de Angelis Honda no time 12. Toni Elias Honda no time 13. Casey Stoner Ducati no time 14. Valentino Rossi Yamaha no time 15. Colin Edwards Yamaha no time 16. James Toseland Yamaha no time 17. Sete Gibernau Ducati no time 18. Kosuke Akiyoshi Honda no time 19. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha no time
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