Dani Pedrosa edges Lorenzo

MOTEGI, Japan - Agence France-Presse

Spain’s Dani Pedrosa rides during a free practice ahead of the Japanese GP. AP photo

Dani Pedrosa edged championship points leader Jorge Lorenzo in free practice sessions on Oct. 12 ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, stepping up his bid to overtake the fellow Spaniard for the title.

The factory Honda rider clocked 1:46.088 in the second of the day’s two sessions to top the timesheets, just over one tenth of a second faster than Yamaha ace Lorenzo.

Italian Andrea Dovizioso, on a Tech 3 Yamaha, was the third fastest at 0.194 of a second behind Pedrosa, as sunshine drenched the 4.8-kilometer Motegi circuit.

Pedrosa’s Australian teammate and reigning champion Casey Stoner, who missed the last three races before the Indianapolis Grand Prix in August, clocked the seventh best time of 1:46.978.