The morning sessions took place on a somewhat slippery surface, with a number of riders falling victim to the treacherous wet patches. In the afternoon conditions had further improved, for a somewhat faster MotoGP free practice session.
One of the favorites for victory at Istanbul Park, Casey Stoner was in good form this afternoon to lead the way on his 800cc Desmosedici GP7. The Australian went round in a time of 1’54.200, nearly eight tenths of a second quicker than Ducati teammate Loris Capirossi as the duo made it a one-two on the opening day of practice sessions.
