Valentino Rossi completed a mainly positive first day of testing in Malaysia today as the first of four pre-season tests began for the Fiat Yamaha Team. Rossi's second test on Bridgestone tyres was interrupted when he crashed entering turn two on his twentieth lap of the day, but the Italian was unhurt and completed 44 laps and some important development work

© Fiat Yamaha Team. After being officially welcomed into the Yamaha fold at the Team's presentation in Turin last week, Jorge Lorenzo was out on track in Fiat Yamaha Team colours for the first time today in Sepang. The three-day Malaysian test is the first of four pre-season tests before the Spanish rookie makes his MotoGP debut in March.

 

© Repsol Media Service. Bad luck for Dani Pedrosa who has to return to Spain after a big crash in Sepang. Setting the second best time of the day behind Randy De Puniet, the Spaniard slid off at Turn 11, injuring his right hand. Team-mate Nicky Hayden completed a total of 85 laps, riding more laps than anyone else on track.

© Fiat Yamaha Team. Reigning 250cc World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, who will ride for the Fiat Yamaha Team in 2008, got his first taste of the YZR-M1 today as he tested with Yamaha for the first time in Valencia this afternoon.

© Fiat Yamaha Team. Valentino Rossi rounded off the first day of the Grand Prix of Catalunya in positive fashion today, setting the second fastest time of the day on his penultimate lap as temperatures climbed into the thirties at Montmelo.

© Repsol Media Service. The opening 800cc practice sessions for the Alice Grand Prix of Italy got underway in a day of two halves in Mugello.

© Rizla Suzuki. Chris Vermeulen raced to his and Rizla Suzuki MotoGP's first Grand Prix win at a rain-soaked Le Mans today.

© Repsol Media Service. Dani Pedrosa took his RC212V to fourth place in Sunday's Grand Prix of China, a result which maintains his third position in the World Championship.

© Ducati Corse. Series leader Casey Stoner won his third Grand Prix victory of the year at Shanghai today, extending his World Championship lead to 15 points after four of 18 races.

© Rizla Suzuki. John Hopkins stormed his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R to the top of the timesheets on the first day of practice for Sunday's Grand Prix of China.

© Fiat Yamaha Team. A weekend of close racing beckons at the Grand Prix of China as the first day of practice finished with the top fourteen MotoGP riders separated by less than a second in Shanghai today.

© Fiat Yamaha Team. Championship leader Valentino Rossi leads the MotoGP charge into the unknown in the third round of the title chase at the superb Istanbul Park circuit on Sunday.

© Fiat Yamaha Team. Valentino Rossi returned to the top step of the podium after leading for all 27-laps of the Grand Prix of Spain, taking his first victory since Sepang last year and his 46th win of the four-stroke MotoGP era.

© Fiat Yamaha Team. Valentino Rossi will start from second position for tomorrow's Grand Prix of Spain in Jerez after an exciting and extremely close qualifying battle today, while his team-mate Colin Edwards will be just behind him in fourth having lost out on third position in the dying moments of the session.

© Repsol Media Service. Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa came within 0.

© Honda LCR. Spaniard Honda LCR rider Carlos Checa blitzed the field with the fastest time in the opening day of free practice for Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez.

© Repsol Media Service. Huge crowds are expected at the Spanish circuit for the first European race of the season and the factory Honda riders will arrive with confidence following last month's successful test at the Andalusian track.

© Fiat Yamaha Team. Valentino Rossi finished second in the inaugural Grand Prix of the 800cc era today after losing out in a close battle with Casey Stoner, who took his first MotoGP win.