Good start of the weekend for Sebastián Porto in Motegi.
The Argentinean rider sets the fastest time in the 250; Barros seventh and Hayden eighth in MotoGP.
Visibly tired due to the sudden time change in Japan and focussed on what seems to become the most contended final straight of the season in recent times, the first qualifying practice of the Japanese Grand Prix was staged today at the Motegi circuit.
In the MotoGP class, the question was how would Nicky Hayden perform on his return to competition, after injuring his right collarbone, what hindered him from taking part in the Portuguese Grand Prix. Eighteenth in the mornings free practice, almost two seconds behind the fastest time, the rider of the Repsol Honda Team was able to pull through the pain in his arm and his knee in the afternoon session, setting the eighth fastest time, eight tenths behind the pole time, which was set by a surprising John Hopkins on his Suzuki. His team-mate Alex Barros, seventh fastest in the morning, finished the afternoon session in the same position despite being among the four fastest riders until the final instants of the session, when most of the riders decided to use their qualifying tyres. Rubén Xaus, on his first day on a circuit he didnt know at all, was eighteenth fastest in both practice sessions.
In the 250cc class Sebastián Porto got off to a good start of the weekend in Motegi. Fifth fastest in the morning, after making some changes on his Aprilia with the help of his team, Porto was able to set the pole time in the afternoon. His team-mate Fonsi Nieto, ninth fastest in the morning, was twelfth in the afternoon due to several mechanic problems on his Aprilia.
In the minor class, the Repsol riders will have to wait for the second qualifying session tomorrow to try to improve their positions on the starting grid. Pablo Nieto was ninth in the morning and Sergio Gadea, on his first contact with the Japanese track, set the twenty-eighth fastest time. In the afternoon, during the official practices, Nieto and his team were not able to find a good setting for the Aprilia setting them back to the thirteenth position of the provisional starting grid. Gadea, with several engine problems finished in a back thirty-fifth position.
