Rossi tops MotoGP practice in China

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SHANGHAI (AFP) - Motorcycle racing legend Valentino Rossi topped practice on Friday at the China Moto GP, pipping defending world champion Australian Casey Stoner by two-hundredths of a second.

Rossi clocked 1.59.906 aboard his Fiat Yamaha for the fastest time of the day, as rival Stoner signalled his intent by being quickest in the afternoon, and Spain's Dani Pedrosa on a Repsol Honda was third.

The seven-time world champion from Italy lost a tightly fought contest to Stoner of Ducati Marlboro in Shanghai last year, but hopes to notch up another win here after taking top honours at the inaugural China race in 2005.

"My first impression is that me and Casey are little faster than the other guys," a pleased Rossi told reporters after practice. "I think it will be a good battle, and I expect to go even faster."

Third in the championship standings on 47 points, Rossi is out to end a winless streak of seven races, his longest since he joined the premier Moto class in 2001, but will face a strong challenge from Stoner's powerful Ducati.

Rossi, 29, has been outshone this year by rookie teammate Jorge Lorenzo, whose spectacular debut season has included three podium finishes in as many races, with a maiden victory last month at the Portuguese GP in Estoril.

But the charismatic Italian is unlikely to have to worry about Lorenzo in China as the Spanish joint championship leader looks to be out of the picture after chipping a bone in his left ankle and hurting his right leg in a crash during practice.

Lorenzo's injuries are an opportunity for Stoner, 21 points behind leaders Lorenzo and Pedrosa, each with 61, to gain ground after sub-par showings of 11th in Jerez and sixth in Estoril.

"Things haven't gone well in these last couple of rounds, but I started well in Qatar, pre-season testing was good and I'm expecting to pick the pace up again for these next races," Stoner told a press conference.

"Jerez was worse than it should have been as we had the pace to finish fifth, which we would have been reasonably happy with, said the 22-year-old, who also won here in the 250cc category in 2005.

"We also had the pace to do better in Portugal, but we had some problems there."

Japan's Shinya Nakano on a San Carlo Honda and American John Hopkins on Kawasaki, rounded off the top five.