American Yamaha rider Ben Spies set the pace during warm-up for the Indianapolis Grand Prix ahead of Spanish Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa and Spanish Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo, as Australian Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner, who suffered a heavy highside yesterday is declared fit for today's race.
Local rider Ben Spies, who also suffered an awful crash yesterday, was on top form this morning, putting in a lap faster than his qualifying one. Yet this morning's hot topic was Australian Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner, who was out on track lapping sixth fastest with a fracture and torn ligaments in his right ankle after a massive highside yesterday. Stoner was declared fit by doctors before the morning practice and spent almost all of the session out on track slowly chipping away at his lap time.
According to HRC’s Communications and Marketing Director, Livio, Suppo, the Australian rider had only taken some painkillers, foregoing the frequently used injection. Stoner was however wearing a specially constructed boot for his heavily swollen ankle.
His Spanish teammate Dani Pedrosa set the second fastest time of the morning, as the Spaniard hopes to claw back points on current championship leader Jorge Lorenzo in the race. Lorenzo, who has not looked entirely comfortable at the track went third quickest, ahead of Monster Yamaha Tech 3 riders, Britain's Cal Crutchlow and Italian Andrea Dovizioso.