 |
|
||
 |
|||
 |
 |
 |
   |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
Rossi sets the pace in qualifying
 Rossi had to retire from the China Grand Prix last week. LE MANS, France -- Italian Valentino Rossi set the fastest time in Friday's first free practice session at the French Grand Prix. The MotoGP world champion had said he was going to try "some new things" after retiring from the China Grand Prix last week. He clocked one minute 35.288 seconds around the demanding Bugatti circuit in western France on his Yamaha. Team mate Colin Edwards of the United States took second place, 0.518 second behind. Italian Loris Capirossi finished third on a Ducati, 0.662 second off the pace. Rossi retired from the race in Shanghai following a tire failure and returns to Europe lying sixth in the standings, 32 points adrift of Honda's American pacesetter Nicky Hayden. Hayden finished a disappointing ninth in windy conditions, more than one second behind Rossi, who won the French race last season. Spanish Honda rider Dani Pedrosa, who won in China, was down in tenth place, with local favorite Randy De Puniet finishing just behind on his Kawasaki. 
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
| © 2007 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map. |
|
External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pay service with live and archived video. 
