2006 Australian Superbike Championship (YMF Loan) - Round Four - Queensland Raceway

Dorna Day 1 Report

Despite still suffering from a fractured collarbone and other injuries after his huge crash at the race at Catalunya, Marco Melandri was today’s fastest MotoGP rider at the betandwin.com Motorrad Grand Prix Deutshcland with a best time of 1’23.145, breaking the circuit record by more than half a second. The Italian youngster pipped last week's race winner Dani Pedrosa to the top spot by three tenths of a second on the final lap.

All riders set their best time in the second of the two free practice sessions, with MotoGP's single qualifying session coming at the Sachsenring circuit tomorrow afternoon, when grid positions will be decided.

Third fastest on the day was Loris Capirossi, part of a top six who all ran under circuit record pace . Joining him were the American trio of Nicky Hayden, Kenny Roberts Jr and John Hopkins. Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner were the other riders to lap under 1'24, whilst the returning Sete Gibernau and Japan's Makoto Tamada completed the top ten.

The second practice session saw a hard fall for Frenchman Randy de Puniet, a run off track by World Champion Valentino Rossi and a crash from Ducati rider Jose Luis Cardoso. All riders suffered no lasting damage, and with Toni Elias and Sete Gibernau back on the track after their respective lay-offs, it was good news for the medical centre.

Jorge Lorenzo was again the fastest rider in the 250cc class today, putting himself on provisional pole after clocking a 1’25.124 lap of the Sachsenring Circuit. The Spaniard had an entertaining tussle with team-mate Hector Barbera for the top spot in Germany, edging him out by 36 thousandths of a second. Alex de Angelis was third, more than half a second off the pair, ahead of Yuki Takahashi, Shuhei Aoyama and Marco Simoncelli.

Seventh place went to Roberto Locatelli, ahead of Anthony West, Hiroshi Aoyama and World Championship leader Andrea Dovizioso.

The Kiefer BOS Racing team used the occasion of their home Grand Prix to announce the contract renewal of rider Dirk Heidolf’s contract.

Mattia Pasini is on provisional pole for Sunday’s 125cc race at Sachsenring, heading the timesheets after a 1’27.546 lap. The Italian was ahead of Lukas Pesek by just over a tenth of a second with Mika Kallio and Pablo Nieto completing the provisional front row.

Alvaro Bautista, fastest in this morning’s session, could only manage sixth, behind Simone Corsi and ahead of Sergio Gadea, Fabrizio Lai, Gabor Talmacsi and Joan Olive.

1st, Marco Melandri (Honda), 1'23.145 :
"I'm pretty happy, my shoulder is getting better all the time, and this track is good for it because we mainly go left and I don't push the right shoulder so much. I like the track and we have a good base after Donington, so everything is going well."